Tuesday, August 19, 2025 - The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to defend their democracy by resisting vote-buying and protecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), describing them as the “shield of the weak” and “weapon of the poor” against injustice and bad leadership.
Obi, in his verified X handle post yesterday, warned that
those who trade votes for cash are not only selling an election but also
“mortgaging the very future that should have lifted many families out of
poverty.”
He, however, likened politicians who buy votes to “criminals
in disguise,” saying that they loot public resources in the same way armed
robbers steal at gunpoint.
The former Anambra governor insisted that Nigeria’s
democracy is under siege, but that ordinary citizens hold the power to rescue
it, saying: “If your vote did not matter, they would not be so desperate to buy
it. Our democracy is at stake, and the responsibility to save it lies in your
hands.”
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to get organised ahead of the
next election cycle by registering, collecting, and safeguarding their PVCs, as
well as voting for leaders defined by “competence, character, capacity, and
compassion.”
Besides, he cautioned against intimidation, deception, and
inducement, calling on voters to prove that Nigeria “belongs to the people, and
not those who trade the nation’s future for selfish gain.”
Meanwhile, as the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR)
exercise began on Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
dedicated portal, cvr.inecnigeria.org, recorded an impressive 69,376 hits
within a few hours of the launch.
The INEC, which stated that the online pre-registration
exercise allows eligible Nigerians to begin their voter registration process
digitally before completing it at designated centres, encouraged Nigerians to
take advantage of the exercise to strengthen the nation’s democratic process,
noting that voter registration is a critical step toward ensuring credible
elections.
The Commission assured citizens that the exercise would be
seamless and accessible, reiterating its commitment to making votes count and
consolidating democracy.
However, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti
State, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, has appealed to all political parties, religious
leaders, monarchs, and civil society groups to mobilise eligible citizens to
participate in the exercise.
Omoseyindemi, who spoke in Ado-Ekiti, however, warned
against the recruitment of underage persons and foreigners to register.
Also, the Director of the National Orientation Agency in
Ekiti State, Oluwayemisi Akomolede, expressed the readiness of the agency to
mobilise eligible citizens to take part in the exercise.
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