The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend its Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in Anambra to accommodate more registrants.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC scheduled to close the CVR in Anambra on Monday to ensure availability of personnel and logistics for processes aimed at a successful Nov. 6 governorship election in the state.
The Chairman of CLO in Anambra, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, told NAN in Enugu on Monday that the commission should consider extending the exercise, which is the bedrock of participatory democracy, to end of September.
According to Ezekwueme, this is due to inability of prospective registrants to register owing to one or two unforeseen circumstances and delay.
“Worthy of note is that if CVR registration is not extended in Anambra, many citizens will be disfranchised.
“There is urgent need for INEC to do the needful by extending voters registration exercise in Anambra by a month.
“Governments at all levels, INEC, National Orientation Agency, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders should redouble their efforts on mobilisation and enlightenment of citizenry on the inexorable need to obtain their voters cards.
“The voter card remains veritable and legitimate weapon to enthrone good governance as well as vote out selfish and corrupt leaders,” he said.
The CLO boss also pleaded with contestants, political parties, and politicians to give peace a chance by bearing the interest of the state and citizens above their parties and personal interest.
“It is existential reality that for them to actualise this, the game of politics, electioneering campaign before, during and after the election should be in accordance with the constitution, electoral act,” he said.
He reiterated the earlier appeal of the organisation to political stakeholders and supporters to shun campaign of acrimony and calumny, name calling, character assassination and casting unsubstantiated aspersions against their opponents.
“Candidates should prepare their mind to accept the irrefutable fact that only one candidate will eventually emerge as winner,” he said. (NAN)
