The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA-Africa) called on Nigerians, especially those who have just turned 18, to seize the golden opportunity offered by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to register for the continuous voter registration exercise (CVR).
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that the CVR begins nationwide on Monday, with the online pre-registration process as the first phase.
Program Director, YIAGA-Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, in a statement Monday in Abuja, said the call has become imperative as the anticipated CVR remains a critical exercise in the electoral process as it is the primary determinant of who votes in. Nigeria. .
She added that the right to vote, which gives voice to the people through the ballot, requires citizens to register first as voters.
She said this guarantees the free exercise of citizens’ right to choose their leaders and decide on election results.
“This CVR exercise presents an opportunity for Nigerians, especially young Nigerians, to exercise their sovereign power in a democracy by first registering to vote in order to harness the power of the people in elections.
“The CVR is a prerequisite for participating in elections in Nigeria, as only registered voters will receive the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to vote.
“Registration on the electoral roll is both a fundamental human rights issue and a civic responsibility issue.
“The CVR offers an opportunity to move from any form of agitation or protest into action, because the election remains the legitimate means of transition of political power in a democracy.
Mbamalu said that to encourage citizens to register as voters, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) introduced pre-registration through INEC’s CVR online portal from June 28, 2021.
She explained that this would be the first time in the Nigerian electoral process where citizens could start registering their voters from their individual comfort spaces.
She said that citizens who have completed their pre-registration on the online portal will choose an appointment date for their biometric physical capture, which will begin from July 19, 2021 at INEC offices in the States and local government areas (LGAs).
She explained that with the proposals to deploy more technology in Nigeria’s elections, the CVR process provided an opportunity to accurately capture voter data and biometrics.
Mbamalu said this has also created an opportunity for more eligible voters to start registering with ease and hopefully reduce the pressure in physical centers.
She added that with the introduction of the online pre-registration process, registration centers would be less crowded and the CVR process would be faster and more transparent, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She expressed hope that more eligible voters, especially young Nigerians, would take the opportunity to register as voters.
She explained that the CRV exercise was for citizens who had just turned 18 or older but had not registered to vote.
She added that it was also for registered voters who lost their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) or whose PVC was damaged to request a replacement.
Mbamalu said these were also voters who had problems with accreditation on polling day in previous elections, registered voters who wanted to transfer their voter registration to their current location and voters. who wished to correct their contact details in the register of electors.
She indicated that registered voters who had not yet collected their PVCs could also go to INEC offices to collect their PVCs.
“We commend the Nigerians for remaining patient and waiting for the CVR process to resume.
“We commend the Nigerian youth for their resilience and commitment to building Nigerian democracy. ” (NAN)
