From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Registered prospective voters in Edo State are yet to collect 522,000 voter cards barely three weeks to the general elections.
The uncollected PVCs comprise both the old and the new from the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
The State INEC Voter Education officer, Mr. Timidi wariowie, disclosed this in Benin at town hall meeting on Youths Participation in the forthcoming election organised by a non-governmental organisation, Yes Project christened, “Value Your Votes Najia”.
“As at Thursday, out of the new 419, 000 PVCs, 299,000 have been collected, while about 120,000 are still uncollected. Also about 402, 000 old PVCs are yet to be collected in the state”, Wariowei stated.
He explained that when the distribution of the new PVCs commenced, the daily collection was above 20,000 but now it has has reduced to between 1000, 2000 and 3000 across the 18 local governments.
The INEC officer, therefore, charged youths organisation and Civil Society Organisation to continue to sensitize the youths on the need to register and get their PVCs because it is the only means they can vote for their preferred candidate during forthcoming election.
The Executive Director, Yes Project, Oche Precious, said the event was to sensitize and reawaken the youth on the need to cast their vote on February 25 and March 11 elections.
“This is the time to change the narrative by going out to cast our votes and decide the next leader that will pilot the affairs of our nation”, he stressed.