Yiaga Africa urges first time voters’ to register

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Yiaga Africa has called on first time voters in the country to participate in the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise which began today.

The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) introduced the pre-enrolment via INEC’s CVR online portal from June 28, 2021.

This will be the first time in Nigeria’s electoral process where citizens can commence their voter’s registration from their individual spaces of comfort.

Citizens who complete their pre-enrollment in the online portal will choose an appointment date for their biometric physical capture, which will commence from 19 July 2021 at INEC offices in the States and Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“With the proposals for more technology to be deployed in Nigeria’s election, this CVR process presents an opportunity for the accurate capture of voters’ data and biometrics. It also creates an opportunity for more eligible voters to commence their registration with ease and hopefully reduce the pressure at the physical centers.

“Voters registration remains a critical exercise in the electoral process as it is the first determinant of who gets to vote in Nigeria. The right to vote which, gives the people a voice through the ballot, requires citizens to first register as voters. It guarantees the free exercise of the right of citizens to choose their leaders and decide electoral outcomes. This CVR exercise presents an opportunity for Nigerians, especially young Nigerians, to exercise their power as the sovereign in a democracy by first registering to vote to harness the people’s power during elections.”