Mahmood, INEC chair
By Anthony
Kindly share:
It is no longer need that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has opened the window for Continuous Voter Registration, CVR. For Okigwe Zone, otherwise known as Imo North Senatorial District, this is not just another exercise; it is a battle for survival, relevance, and recognition in Nigeria’s political space. A voter’s card is more than a plastic ID; it is power, identity, and a weapon of negotiation for development.
The CVR is non-negotiable for Okigwe Zone. Because politics runs on numbers. A zone with fewer registered voters has no voice at the table of power. Only strong voter registration can compel attention, projects, and appointments.
Moreover, our fair share of representation depends on our numbers. If we under-register, we self-sabotage and hand advantage to others.
Without voters cards, citizens cannot hold leaders accountable. Registration is the gateway to electing leaders, who will tackle insecurity, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and the neglect of Okigwe Zone.
The CVR exercise covers everyone, not just first-time registrants:
First-Time Voters: Young citizens who have just turned 18, or older persons who never registered before.
Relocated Voters: People who moved homes and need to transfer their registration to vote where they now live or people who just wish to vote at home instead of their states of domicile.
Lost or Damaged Cards: Those who misplaced or damaged their PVCs must use this opportunity to replace them.
Corrections & Updates: People with wrong details, including women who changed names after marriage, should update their records.
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs): INEC provides special recognition for PWDs; registration ensures they are included in governance.
Unarguably, thousands of young people in Okigwe Zone have turned 18 since the last CVR exercise. If they fail to register, they forfeit their right to determine who leads them and allow older generations alone to dictate their future, which, unfortunately, won’t be different from the sad experiences of the past.
However, there are inimical hidden hands inside the inkpot of Voters Registration. Hence, we must be vigilant. Some politicians are working quietly to frustrate or discourage registration in our communities.
Their tactics include:
Deliberate frustration at registration centres: Long queues, inadequate machines, and poor crowd control are sometimes engineered to frustrate people from registering.
Spreading misinformation: Lies that “your vote won’t count” or that “registration doesn’t matter” are tactics used to weaken citizen turnout.
Intimidation and manipulation: Some discourage transfers or replacements so that voters cannot participate where they live or choose to vote, effectively silencing their voices.
Buying of PVCs or confiscation: Unscrupulous actors attempt to buy or seize voters cards to suppress participation.
Okigwe Zone must resist these tricks. Any attempt to stop people from registering is an attempt to erase their future.
Sadly, there is a worrying trend in the South-east.
Recent reports from INEC show discouraging numbers from the region in the ongoing registration drive. Whether this is sabotage or real, statistics have shown that while other regions are recording higher enthusiasm, the South-east has lagged far behind. This is dangerous for our collective political survival.
Instead of millions of new registrants, reports indicate only abysmally low figures, showing complacency and lack of urgency. Despite the energy of our young population, many have failed to translate their anger and frustration into action by registering. The consequent danger is that if this trend continues, the South-east will remain undercounted, underrepresented, and underdeveloped.
The disheartening voters registration statistics in the South-east must serve as a warning. Okigwe Zone must not allow itself to be part of this failure.
Otherwise, the zone will remain politically weak and neglected. Developmental projects will bypass our communities because our numbers won’t justify attention. Our youths will continue to complain without the power to change anything. Leaders will ignore us because we lack the electoral weight to compel accountability.
Therefore, every hand must be on deck: Traditional rulers and diverse community should lead sensitisation in their communities. Religious leaders must preach the importance of registration from the pulpit. Youth and student groups must mobilise their peers.
Women organisations and market unions must ensure no woman is left out. This is a civic duty, not a favour.
If others sleep, let us stay awake. If others are apathetic, let us rise with determination. Okigwe Zone cannot afford to be nonchalant. We must outdo ourselves in this exercise, not only to secure our fair share in politics but to protect our very survival as a people.
Let no politician deceive us, let no obstacle discourage us, and let no eligible voter remain unregistered. Our strength is in our numbers. Our future depends on our action today.
The time to act is now. Tomorrow may be too late.
Anthony Iwuoma wrote from Owerri
