Despite outstanding 8 million Permanent Voters Cards not collected by eligible voters in the custody of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (PVC), the electoral body on Thursday disclosed that it has taken delivery of additional four million printed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for newly registered voters in 2017.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu made the disclosure at a programme, “Youth Votes Count’’ at University of Abuja.
He further declared that the PVCs would be delivered to states over the weekend for onward distribution to eligible voters.
He said: “For those who registered in 2017 between April and December 2017, all the cards of four million have been printed and will be delivered to the states this weekend.
“`So, by next week all those who registered in 2017 will begin to collect their cards.
“For those who registered in first quarter of 2018 and those who will continue to register before elections in 2019, I assure you that your cards will be available ahead of the general elections.’’
Ahead of the Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections, he again restated his Commission determination to ensure that voters in the two states get their PVCs before the elections slated for July and September, respectively.
Yakubu disclosed that so far in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) the commission had registered about 8 million new voters.
The INEC chairman who announced the creation of a registration centre in the campus, advised students and residents of Gwagwalada closed to the campus make use of the opportunity to register while assuring Nigerians that their votes would count.
“When you collect you PVCs, please on Feb. 16 and March 2, 2019, make sure you go out and vote.
“Let me give you an undertaking that in 2019 your votes will count. In 2019 only the votes cast by Nigerians will determine who wins election,’’
In his remarks, Vice-Chancellor UNIABUJA, Prof. Michael Adikwu commended INEC for starting with the university in its sensitisation of Nigerian students in the electoral processes.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Edward Nwana, the UNIABUJA Vice Chancellor noted that the INEC outreach to the university underscored the recognition it was willing to accord the ouths in the electoral process.
“INEC has scored a very important goal by getting on board the future of our country, that’s the youth to participate properly in a non violent manner in the electoral process
“What is happening today gives youth a lot of hope for the country that we will have elections that will be credible and defensible in every part of the world
“I do hope that after today’s session there will be no doubt that we will all play our roles in ensuring that our electoral processes are credible.’’
Also speaking at the event, Mr Ketil Karlsen, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, expressed his reservation over what he called low participation of youths in the electoral process
According to Karlsen, for democracy to be representative, it must represent all the demographic population of a country, and the youths are an important case in point.
“There is a shortage of youth’s participation in politics in many countries including Nigeria.
“And I wonder why, is it because of disempowerment? Is it because of alienation?
“Is it because of fear of participation? Or because there is a perception that participating will not matter or because they feel they are unworthy, that I am not so sure of.
“But I think we need to ask some questions, that is the reason for this outreach today.
“Another question to be taken into consideration is to ask what it takes for youths participation in politics; we have to look at funding, political parties and campaigns,’’ he noted.
He further admonished the gathering to ensure that money bags do not hijack the electoral process in Nigeria.
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