The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described as abysmal the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) figure recorded in Enugu State.
The state has as of Jan. 31, only recorded 38,772 fresh online voters registration; while only 28,992 people have fully completed the online and physical capturing of the CVR.
The INEC- CVR, which commenced on June 28, 2021, has been held from Monday to Friday between 9.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. daily in CVR registration centres in INEC state offices and LGC offices.
The state’s INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Emeka Ononamadu, told NAN on Monday that the commission had made all humanly possible efforts to mobilise residents of the state for the CVR exercise, but it had all proved futile.
“INEC has mounted aggressive publicity of CVR in Enugu State, but the turnout is still low,” Ononamadu said.
The REC appealed to eligible residents to use the opportunity of the CVR to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to have the power to elect their representatives in upcoming elections.
“Votes count. If you still doubt that votes count, go and ask those who threatened to buy it why they have such difficult dreams of getting people to vote for them.
“I am optimistic that what INEC has done in a couple of years past has recouped any real or apparent citizens’ power that appears to have been tampered with before this new era,” he said.
Ononamadu, however, debunked the widespread rumour that old PVCs had expired.
He said: “There is a rumour going around that old PVCs expire. It is not true. PVCs do not expire.
“You can only come for replacement of damaged, lost or misplaced PVCs.
“I am warning eligible people in the South-East to avoid last-minute rush. A stitch in time saves nine”.
The REC also urged the newly elected Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) leadership in Enugu State to join INEC to educate and mobilise residents to come out en mass to register.
He noted: “Registration of voters is free and made seamless (stress-free) with the help of newly deployed INEC technology”.
