NAN
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi, Mrs Mercy Nkwegu, said that sustained voters’ education was critical to addressing voters’ apathy especially in rural communities.
Mercy, wife of Chief Edward Nkwegu, former governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2015 governorship election in Ebonyi, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Wednesday.
She said that voters’ education was critical in mobilising the electorate, especially those in rural communities to be able to make informed decisions and also participate actively in the electoral process.
READ ALSO Israel lets food, goods back into Gaza as Egypt pushes truce
Nkwegu who linked the low rate of collection of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ebonyi with voters’ apathy, called for sustained voters’ education to address the problem.
She said that it was the responsibility of leaders at various levels, including political party, religious and community leaders as well as critical stakeholders to constantly educate the people on need to participate in the political process.
“Women leaders in APC have been urged to move into their various wards to educate, sensitise and mobilise grassroots women to actively participate in the 2019 general elections in Ebonyi.
“The low rate of PVCs collection in the state is worrisome and there is every need to take a bold and pragmatic steps to mobilise Ebonyi electorate, especially those in the rural areas to go and collect their PVCs.
“It is only the PVC that qualifies a person to participate in choosing their elected leaders, ” Nkwegu said.
