From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) has called on Nigerian electorates to arm themselves with their voters’ cards if actually they want to effect positive change in the 2023 general elections.
The group urged the electorates to spare no efforts and ensure that they obtain their permanent voters’ card that will empower and enable them to participate during forthcoming elections.
The Chairman of the Anambra State chapter of CLO Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, gave the charge during a public lecture with the civil society organizations and citizens geared towards mobilisation and sensitisation of citizens to properly utilize the opportunity provided by INEC for disbursement of PVC to registrants.
The lecture, centred on voters cards being crucial to enthrone good leaders and governance, noted that it is the constitutional responsibility of every citizen to periodically participate in the electoral process every four years as long as you have reached 18yrs and above.
He said: “Criticism of governments, political leaders and officials is not enough without taking courageous and patriotic efforts and steps to vote in charismatic God-fearing servant leaders.
According to Edmund Burke, “the reason why we are being governed as fools is that good people sit back and do nothing”.
“Pertinently your voter card is the greatest legitimate weapon to reject bad leaders and vote in selfless, competent, patriotic and capable leaders with an overarching desire to reform, redeem, rescue and transform our country for the better.
“Silence means consent, if bad leaders emerged due to your apathy, indifference and nonchalant attitude, you not only consented to evils but also cause our problems instead of the solution.
It is prime to note that our political, civil society organisations, religious, traditional and market leaders are not doing enough and living up to expectations.
“Our people are docile followers due to ignorance and don’t understand the importance of power, it determines the socioeconomic, political, religious and cultural life of every nation, hence their lukewarm attitude towards politics.
“Recall that CLO had appealed to INEC to devise strategic marshall plans for disbursement of PVC to registrants, that will be less cumbersome, but attractive to registered voters.
“They should also look in direction of alleged stringent conditions, disappointments, difficulties, and encounters in collecting PVC, especially demand for gratifications which has discouraged many registrants.
“INEC, National Orientations Agency, CSOs and religious leaders should intensify their mobilisation and sensitisation efforts to ensure that every registered voter collects his voter card before the 2023 general election.
“Let us unite and work assiduously towards the peaceful, harmonious and successful conduct of the 2023 general election,” Ezekwueme posited.