INEC begins nationwide voter registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is set to commence the nationwide continuous voter registration (CVR) across the 774 local government areas of the country.

Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, director of voter education and publicity, said this in Abuja on Wednesday.

Osaze-Uzzi told NAN that the necessary logistics had been deployed for the commencement of the exercise as scheduled.

“The required personnel and materials for the exercise have been deployed. We have also trained our personnel who are going to be at our various LGA offices,” he said.

“We have tested and deployed our direct data capturing machine (DDCM) for the exercise to take off nationwide.

“Our national commissioners have gone out to the respective zones to monitor and flag off the registration, while the chairman will be flagging off the exercise in Abuja.”

Osaze-Uzzi said the exercise would take place at INEC local government offices on working days of the weeks from 9am to 3 pm, pending when the review of the exercise.

“For now it will be at INEC local government offices. People can walk into our LG offices at their convenience, but as time goes on, we may decentralise the exercise,’’ he said.

The director advised those who are yet to register for their permanent voters cards (PVCs) to use the opportunity to do so,” he said.

“We have listened to complaints by some people on their inability to register during the previous exercise. This time, we have worked toward addressing them.

“For those who have not collected their PVC, they should know that without PVCs they cannot vote.”

Osaze-Uzzi said it was when people have their PVCs to vote, they could influence politics and development positively.

“If you refuse to vote, then you also lose the moral right to complain about poor infrastructure, power or any other issue because you did not vote,’’ he said.

Osaze-Uzzi said for those who have lost or damaged their PVC, or wanted to transfer their PVCs should go to the registration centres and inform the officers in charge about what they wanted to do.

He, however, said it was also a criminal offence to register more than once.