The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it has deployed 150 staff and over 50 machines to the Old Parade Ground in Abuja to facilitate its youth PVC registration drive.
The move by INEC, in collaboration with the European Union, is aimed at mopping up all eligible voters in the federal capital territory a few weeks before the June 30, deadline for registration.
At a press briefing in Abuja, the FCT INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner. Yahaya Bello said the commission was embracing every available intervention and partnership to ensure that all eligible voters are registered.
Bello informed that those who had registered earlier can collect their cards now while those who are just registering for the first time, transferring or replacing their lost cards will be called to collect their PVCs in January 2023.
”INEC is much ready and committed to the cause of helping Nigerians get their voter cards and participate in the elections, hence it mobilized staff and logistics for the exercise.
”I appeal to youths and others that may face some challenges because of massive turnout of people, to see the challenges as sacrifices they had to make to participate in deciding their leaders.”
Meanwhile, the European Union has urged Nigerians, especially residents of the FCT, to take advantage of the Youth Vote Count Mega Music Concert to get their PVCs.
Representative of the EU, Olaolu Olawunmi in her remarks said the collaboration with INEC is to awaken the consciousness of young people to the issues of governance.
Olawunmi said the EU is encouraging the youth to not only register for their PVCs but also ensure they collect the cards when they are ready and head to the polls to vote with it.
She said, “The good thing about this programme is that it is locally driven and we are trying to bring civically-cultured celebrities, influencers, and bloggers; bring them together to help us speak to young people on how to get their PVCs.”
“How do we get them to be engaged? Not just by getting their voter cards but to have a sustained engagement from young people in Nigeria?
“If you look at the data from INEC you see that we have high levels of young people in terms of our population, but that does not necessarily translate to the engagement in the political process.
The “open-air PVC registration” at the Old parade ground in Abuja is expected to last from June 20th to 25th.
