From John Adams, Minna
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger state Chapter, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna has appealed on eligible Voters especially Christians in the state to go and get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to enable participate in the 2023 general elections if they truly want to effect positive change.
In his Democracy Day message tagged “Clarion call on all Christians in Niger state” a copy which was made available to Newsmen in Minna on Monday, the Chairman said, “the 2023 General Elections is around the corner and we are the determinant of who governs us in the next dispensation”.
According to the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, “the INEC said it recorded a 22.13 percent increase in Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in 2019. Now, 2023 is up to us. The final lap towards carrying out your civic duty as an electorate starts from getting your PVC so you can vote on Election Day.
“As Christians, we must participate actively in politics, either as members of political parties or as electorates. To avoid regrets in the future, adults of voting age in Niger must get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).”
While urging Christians to embrace to continuous registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Chairman said “we must go all out and get our PVCs so we can vote in people of our choice into power; those who can fix our roads, build hospitals, ensure our children get better education, provide security, all the basic amenities and then secure the future of the country”.
He however warned that, Christians must not sit on the fence, adding that “we must all participate actively in the nation’s electoral process and avoid statements like VOTES DO NOT COUNT. If votes don’t count, politicians won’t bribe/pay people to vote for them.
“When people say they are not interested in getting the PVC because they are not sure if hired thugs would not disrupt the election; that they are not sure the security situation in the country would allow for any election in 2023, or that the elections would be rigged. I will just say to you- Go and get your PVC”.
Bishop Yohanna also said “if Nigeria must be rescued, then Christians must wake up and do the needful. We need to arm ourselves with our PVCs, make all necessary efforts to do so. If we continue looking backward, we would not make the desired progress”.
He however called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish centers for the collection of PVCs to enable those who had registered online to pick up their cards.