Youths solidify lead in PVCs, comprise 71% of new registrations
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Youths solidified their lead with 8.7 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the final count in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise which ended on Sunday, making them the undisputed kingmakers in the 2023 ballot.
Those aged 18-34 had topped all demographics at every stage since new registration began in June 2021.
And they clinched 71 per cent of the 12.2 million in the final tally of newly registered voters on 31 July 2022, according to the latest data released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Those aged 35-49 accounted for 2.4 million, those aged 50-69 clocked 856, 017 and those aged 70 and above 127, 541.
More women (6,224,866) registered for PVC than men (6,074,078).
New registrations at 12.2 million means the overall total number of registered voters rose from 84 million in 2019 to 96.2 million in 2022.
The latest INEC data shows that the North West (with seven states) leads in the raw numbers, followed by the South West (six states), South South (six states), North Central (six states), North East (six states), and South East (five states).
Breakdown by zone
North West (Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa)
- 2019 total registered voters – 20.15 million
- 2022 new registered voters – 2.5 million
- 2022 total registered voters – 22.67 million
South West (Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo)
- 2019 toral registered voters – 16.29 million
- 2022 new registered voters – 2.03 million
- 2022 total registered voters – 18.3 million
South South (Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta)
- 2019 total registered voters – 12.84 million
- 2022 new registered voters – 2.4 million
- 2022 total registered voters – 15.2 million
North Central (Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Plateau)
- 2019 total registered voters – 13.36 million
- 2022 new registered voters – 740,000
- 2022 total registered voters – 14.1 million
North East (Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe)
- 2019 toral registered voters – 11.28 million
- 2022 new registered voters – 1.5 million
- 2022 total registered voters – 12.8 million
South East (Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Imo)
- 2019 total registered voters – 10.05 million
- 2022 new registered voters – 1.44 million
- 2022 total registered voters – 11.49 million
Federal Capital Territory (Abuja and environs)
- 2019 total registered voters – 1.3 million
- 2022 new registered voters – 200,000
- 2022 total registered voters – 1.5 million
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Breakdown by state
Five states with highest registrations are Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, and Katsina, according to INEC data, per reporting by The PUNCH.
Lagos – 7.1 million
Lagos retains its position as the state with the highest number of registered voters, up by 600,000 from 6.5 million in 2019.
- Kano – 6.02 million (up by 569,103)
- Kaduna – 4.4 million
- Rivers – 3.68 million
- Katsina – 3.57 million
Other states with sizeable numbers
- Delta – 3.3 million
- Oyo – 3.3 million
State with lowest number
- Ekiti – 1, 034, 911 (up by 909,967)
Power in the hands of youths to elect or reject leaders
Political analyst Busari Dauda said the new composition of registered voters could determine the winner of the presidential election in 2023, insisting it is a signpost youths are ready to stop the recycling of old leaders.
“It is not strange. I think we have people who have matured to 18 years and are ready to exercise their franchise. It portends a positive outcome for the country,” he told The PUNCH.
“It is also a signal that in the subsequent general elections, they would decide who they want as leaders in the country as well take over the affairs of the country at the national level and the recycling will stop and someone much younger will one day become the President.”
Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution Convener Dare Atoye-Ariyo said the recent Osun election which led to the defeat of an incumbent Governor shows youths are now translating their online enthusiasm into votes.
“That’s exactly what we saw in the Osun State governorship elections, ahead of the 2023 elections, there is a possibility that a good number of the new people who have registered this time around are going to vote.
“The fact that the newly registered voters are mostly youths signals a reawakening.”