The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, on Thursday lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), for extending the Continuous Voter Registration(CVR) exercise to Aug. 31 in response to the demand of Nigerians.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had earlier given Aug. 17 as the deadline for CVR but due to the complaints of eligible voters across the country the commission deemed it necessary to announce a new deadline for the exercise.
According to INEC, the registered voters can collect the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from the designated centres up to the early part of 2019.
Yahaya told newsmen in his palace in Bida that he had already directed ward and district heads to mobilise eligible voters, to take the advantage of the two weeks extension for the exercise.
He said that it was imperative for eligible voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in order to exercise their civic rights in the general elections slated to begin in February 2019.
The royal father noted that the people would only be eligible to participate in the elections if they were registered and given their PVCs.
He explained that traditional rulers in Niger State would not relent in sensitising their subjects to the extension of the deadline by INEC, to enable them collect their PVCs, after being duly registered.
“ We will also mobilise those who had earlier registered and have not collected their PVCs to come forward for collection in the commission’s offices across the 25 local government areas of the state,” he said.
“ I urge media organisations to deploy all sustainable and effective mass media strategies to mobilise eligible voters to participate actively in the exercise.
He stressed the need for eligible voters to be educated on the importance of obtaining PVCs, saying that it would allow them the opportunity to vote in the elections.(NAN)
