Raphael Ede, Enugu

As the August 17, 2018 deadline for Continuous Voter Registration exercise draws near, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, embarked on a road show  to sensitise the electorate on the need to register and obtain their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs)  ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Briefing newsmen after the road show, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, said that they embarked on the road show in spite of the fact that there has been surge as the August deadline is drawing near by the electorate in a bid to beat the deadline.

Ononomadu said that many people have started queuing at the registration centres to register afresh instead seeking to replace lost one or defaced voter cards.

He said that the sensitisation was meant to re-emphasise the need for those who have not obtained their PVC to go and register before the end of the exercise because by the end of August 17, 2018,  exercise would be shut down until after the 2019 general elections.

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The REC said that the only Continuous Voters Registration, CVR component that would be available after August 17 deadline will only be the distribution of the PVCs.

“From August 17, there will be no transfer of voters card anymore.  There will be no replacement of lost cards or replacement of lost PVCs.  No replacement of defaced  cards after the deadline,” he said.

While he charged the residents to ensure that they obtained their PVC to get ready for the 2019 general elections, Ononamadu said, “your voters card is your tool to quench the hunger for development by using it to vote credible leaders.”

He said that remaining days of the exercise, all the INEC officials, including himself, would go out to man the data capturing machines to ensure that everybody that turns out for the exercise is registered, promising that there would be no ward that INEC will not visit to ensure that every eligible voter that turned up for the exercise will be registered.