By Nkechinyere Ewa-Okpara
A university scholar, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and youth leaders have urged the people of the Southeast to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise to secure their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Professor Eugene Nweke of the Department of Political Science, Ebonyi State University, said voter registration must be viewed as a civic duty and the first step toward influencing leadership.
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for rolling out the CVR but warned that making it a periodic exercise creates unnecessary pressure.
“Every day and every month, young Nigerians turn 18 and become eligible to vote. This means voter registration should be continuous at local government INEC offices, where people can walk in, register, and leave,” he said.
Nweke expressed concern over the low turnout of registrants in Ebonyi and other parts of the southeast, linking it to political apathy and distrust in government.
According to him, many citizens view elections as pre-determined, which discourages participation.
“This should not be encouraged. Your PVC is an instrument to make a statement, either in appreciation or in protest. If we shy away, we hand over the system to the elites who have captured it. But if we use our PVC effectively, leaders will respond to our opinions,” he stressed.
The don called on parents, schools, and religious institutions to sensitize young people, especially first-time voters, on the importance of political participation. He warned that if the youth remain indifferent, Nigeria risks a leadership gap in the future.
On INEC’s suspension of activities in the Southeast on Mondays due to security concerns, Nweke suggested that the commission extend operations to Saturdays. “But the real challenge is not the days but the turnout. Let’s sensitize our people to take advantage of the available days,” he noted.
Similarly, the NOA Director in Ebonyi State, Mr. Theophilus Nwakpor, said the agency had intensified grassroots campaigns to enlighten citizens about the significance of voter registration. He cited town hall meetings with traditional rulers and villagers as part of ongoing sensitization.
“We remind our people that democracy, despite its challenges, remains the best system of government. Dictatorship has failed us before. The electoral process is improving, and citizens must play their part by registering and voting,” Nwakpor said.
He emphasized that with technology-driven electoral reforms, incidents of ballot snatching had reduced, assuring that votes would increasingly count in subsequent elections. “The system is growing. The next election will be better,” he said confidently.
In the same vein, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru on Youth Mobilization and Development, Comrade Chinedu Emerike, described voter registration as “the gateway to participation in governance and a tool to sustain good leadership.”
Emerike, who is also the National President of the FON Youth Movement, urged young people to take responsibility for shaping their future. “Without registration, you cannot vote, and without voting, you cannot influence leadership. My advice to every youth is simple: go and register. This is your chance to decide your future,” he said.
He lauded Governor Nwifuru’s developmental projects, which he said were visible in every ward and community of the state, adding that the government was confident of victory in 2027 based on performance rather than propaganda.
“We are not afraid of any coalition. Ebonyi people can see the governor’s works for themselves,” Emerike declared.
The three voices academic, institutional, and youth converged on one message: that the state, Southeast must shake off political apathy and embrace voter registration as a civic responsibility, a right, and a tool for shaping the region’s political future.