By Ben Agande, Abuja
As the curtain came down on the registration of voters, yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced an extension of the registration exercise in some parts of 11 states where the exercise could not commence early due to communal conflicts, over population, technical or logistical challenges.

Sunday Vanguard learnt in Abuja, however, that at the close of work on Friday, “the number of voters registered nationwide was in the neighborhood of sixty million”.

An official of the commission, who spoke to our correspondent but declined to be named, said from the upsurge of voters on the last day of the exercise, “it is obvious that we will exceed the 62 million that we had earlier targeted slightly. We believe that by the end of work today, (yesterday) we would have exceeded the sixty two million target”.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that Kano and Lagos had the largest number of registered voters, going by the Friday’s figures.
Meanwhile, INEC yesterday announced an extension of the exercise in some parts of 11 states to accommodate the initial hitches as well as other difficulties experienced at the commencement of the exercise. The states include Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Delta, Ekiti and Enugu. Others are Kaduna, Kebbi, Naarawa, Zamfara, Kogi and Ogun.

A statement signed by the commission’s director in charge of public affairs, Mr Emmanuel Umenger, said the extension by two days (6th _7th  February)  was to ensure that ‘all eligible Nigerians who turn up for the registration are registered”..

The statement reads: “In its determination to ensure that all eligible Nigerians who turn up for registration are registered, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will undertake a mop_up  exercise in areas  where  the on_going voter registration exercise could not  commence  early due  to  communal  conflicts, over_population, technical or  logistical challenges.  The mop up voter registration will be from Sunday, February 6 to Monday, February 7, 2011.

“The affected areas identified for the purpose of the mop_up exercise are Uyo in  Akwa Ibom State; Ganjuwa, Kirfi, Shira, Bogoro, and  Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas of  Bauchi State;  some wards in Gubio,Mafa, Jere,Konduga,Kukawa, Mobbar and Monguno Local Government Areas of  Borno State; Katsina Ala,Gwer East and Vandeikya LGAs of  Benue State; Warri North, Warri  South,a nd Warri South_ West LGAs of  Delta State; Ijero and  Ekiti_East LGA of  Ekiti State; Nsukka, Uzo Uwani and parts of Enugu East, Enugu North and  Enugu South  as  well as  Udi LGAs  of  Enugu State.

“Others are,  FCT;  Sabon Tasha, Rigasa, Afaka, Kakuri, Rigachikun LGAs  of  Kaduna State; two registration areas each in Birnin Kebbi, Yauri, Gwandu and  three  others each  in  Danko_Wasaku  and  Suru in Kebbi State; Karu, New  Karu,Mararaba,Masaka, Aso Fada  and  Adudu ward in Obi LGA of  Nasarawa State

“In Zamfara State,  the  mop  _up  exercise  will, take  place in Gusau  Ward 03, Galadima  01, Dado 04, Maiyara 05,  Tudun Wada 09 and  Tsafe 08  wards  while in Kogi State, it  will  take  place  in  some  areas in Bassa  and  Adavi LGAs.  In  Ogun State,Obafemi Owode, Ifo and  Ado Odo LGAs  will  benefit  from the  exercise.

“The  Commission commends  and  appreciates the  enthusiasm with  which eligible Nigerians  have  turned  out  en_masse  to be  registered in readiness  for  the  April ,2011 General Elections and  wishes  to  advise  all those  eligible registrants  who  are  yet  to register to take  advantage of  the  mop_up exercise  and get registered.

“INEC further reminds Nigerians that it is a crime to register more than once. Any such attempt will be discovered and culprits prosecuted”.

State; Ganjuwa, Kirfi, Shira, Bogoro, and  Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas of  Bauchi State;  some wards in Gubio,Mafa, Jere,Konduga,Kukawa, Mobbar and Monguno Local Government Areas of  Borno State; Katsina Ala,Gwer East and Vandeikya LGAs of  Benue State; Warri North, Warri  South,a nd Warri South_ West LGAs of  Delta State; Ijero and  Ekiti_East LGA of  Ekiti State; Nsukka, Uzo Uwani and parts of Enugu East, Enugu North and  Enugu South  as  well as  Udi LGAs  of  Enugu State.

“Others are,  FCT;  Sabon Tasha, Rigasa, Afaka, Kakuri, Rigachikun LGAs  of  Kaduna State; two registration areas each in Birnin Kebbi, Yauri, Gwandu and  three  others each  in  Danko_Wasaku  and  Suru in Kebbi State; Karu, New  Karu,Mararaba,Masaka, Aso Fada  and  Adudu ward in Obi LGA of  Nasarawa State

“In Zamfara State,  the  mop  _up  exercise  will, take  place in Gusau  Ward 03, Galadima  01, Dado 04, Maiyara 05,  Tudun Wada 09 and  Tsafe 08  wards  while in Kogi State, it  will  take  place  in  some  areas in Bassa  and  Adavi LGAs.  In  Ogun State,Obafemi Owode, Ifo and  Ado Odo LGAs  will  benefit  from the  exercise.

“The  Commission commends  and  appreciates the  enthusiasm with  which eligible Nigerians  have  turned  out  en_masse  to be  registered in readiness  for  the  April ,2011 General Elections and  wishes  to  advise  all those  eligible registrants  who  are  yet  to register to take  advantage of  the  mop_up exercise  and get registered.

“INEC further reminds Nigerians that it is a crime to register more than once. Any such attempt will be discovered and culprits prosecuted”.