The media gateway to the East.
For inquiries:
Phone: +234 81 8616 6160
Email: editor.championnews@gmail.com
Osun Guber: Complete your voter registration to avoid disenfranchisement, INEC Commissioner tells residents
Blessing Akorowosi, Osogbo
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Prof. Abdulganiy Raji has charged residents of the state who have done online voter registration to visit the nearest Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) office to complete their registration.
The REC decried the low number of completed Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in the state, saying only one-third of the large number of the online applicants have completed the registration process.
Speaking during an Election Stakeholders Forum held at the premises of the INEC state headquarters in Osogbo, on Monday, Prof. Raji stated that residents without complete registration have disenfranchised themselves.
He further urged the people of Osun to take advantage of the new polling units across various wards and transfer their registration to the nearest units if they are already registered.
The INEC Commissioner pointed out that 80% of the new polling units in Osun have less than 100 registered voters, adding that this was observed more in the metropolitan areas of the state like Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa.
According to him, “the elites are major contributors to voters apathy. Continuous Voters Registration Exercise which commenced in July 2021 will be devolved to RAS/Wards from 24th and 30th March, 2022 to enable more people register and transfer their voting power to new Polling Units nearest to their abode.”
Clearing doubts on the validity of Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) obtained before now, Prof. Raji said, “the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCS) collected between 2011 and 2018 are still valid, useable and can work perfectly with the new accreditation device introduced by the Commission (Bimodal Voter Authentication System- BVAS) which would be deployed for accreditation during Osun election.
“However, it is important to stress that those that have registered between these periods are advised to review and update their PVCs for these reasons– That there might have been change of names of the registrants (in case of ladies that got married and wish to change to their maiden names;
“That the photograph on the PVC might have defaced or damaged and the need for updating to reflect the new look of the owner; and that the need for transfer to the newly created PUs close to your new place of residence.
“All these aforementioned issues above could be initiated and completed online using INEC Portal– inecnigeria.org/elections/
The INEC helmsman in Osun stated that 18 political parties are registered with names of their candidates. This is as he promised that the commission will put its best to conduct a free, fair, credible, acceptable, all-inclusive and conclusive election in the July 16 governorship election.
Prof. Raji, however enjoined stakeholders in the state to cooperate with the commission for a successful election and embark on voters education to sensitise members of their groups.
In attendance were: Commissioner for Information and Civic orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode; Commissioner of Police, Wale Olokode; Representatives of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Abidemi and the Timi of Ede Land, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal.
Representatives of various political parties, security agencies, religious bodies, Non-governmental organisations, traditional rulers were also present at the meeting, pledging their support for a credible election.
Comments are closed.