MOBILIZE YOUR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR PVC, THE ERA OF VOTES NOT COUNTING IS OVER – ONONAMADU, INEC REC, ENUGU STATE URGES STAKEHOLDERS



Enugu: Dr Emeka Ononamadu, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) has urged stakeholders in the state to mobilize their people to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise, so as to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and participate in the forthcoming General election since “the era of votes not counting is over”
He made the disclosure in Enugu during INEC Engagement with Critical Stakeholders as part of sensitization for the Ongoing Fourth Quarter of CVR.
According to him, “people have no reason for not participating in the CVR and collecting their PVCs.
“What reasons do they have? Before now, they said votes don’t count but now votes count, with the new Electoral Law and BVAS.
“Besides, why do they buy your votes, if votes don’t count?.
He also stressed that insecurity was not enough reason for the low turn out in the CVR
“Insecurity is not enough reason because more registrants were recorded in states with higher levels of insecurity than Enugu.
While bemoaning the low number of new registrants in the the registration figure of Enugu State had remained low, adding that “after three quarters of CVR registration we are having about 31,000 in Enugu State.”
The fourth quarter CVR registration started on April 12 in Enugu State and will end in June, 2022.
Ononamadu said that INEC had graciously added more time on days for the CVR registration in South East so as to make up for the time lost in the weekly Monday’s Sit-at-home , adding “It is now from 9am to 5pm but previously from 9am to 3pm.”
The REC attributed the low turnout to CVR registration to fear, insecurity and some people with the old stereotype of votes not counting.
The REC appealed to electoral stakeholders to mobilise more registrants to participate in the in Enugu State.
He said that in this fourth quarter CVR registration, INEC would move Its CVR registration to political wards and open up more means of polling units transfer especially for the newly created 1,000 polling units in the state.
“The new polling units will make polling booths closer, polling activities seamless and easy; while INEC will publish the new polling units by next week and paste it in public places within the state.
“We have done only 3,000 transfers in the state and our people should make more transfers to the new polling units to lessen distance and cumbersomeness.
“I am appealing to the media, traditional rulers, Presidents-General, religious leaders and youth leaders to help us mobilise and enlighten our people on the need to go for their CVR registration,” Ononamadu said.
On the issue of those reluctant to participate in the CVR because they want a new country to be created out of the South East, Ononamadu said, “Even those who want another country to created out of the South East should still get their PVC as much can be done with it”
The Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe (Ambassador) Lawrence Agubuzu, Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo commended the REC for the nice job he was doing, urging stakeholders in the state to ensure that the State’s participation in the ongoing CVR improved, in order to positively influence the electoral system.
“I commend the REC for the nice job he is doing here. I also calling on our people to take the issue of participating in the ongoing CVR seriously. We needed to increase the number of successful registrants in all wards in the state”, he said.