From Owen Akenzua, Asaba
Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency Forum has commenced a vigorous mobilisation drive, urging eligible citizens to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise to register for the 2027 elections.
Chairman of the forum, John Oguma, who made the appeal in a statement yesterday in Asaba, said voter registration remains a civic duty and a critical step toward ensuring effective representation in the 2027 general elections.
Oguma explained that the forum’s decision to launch the mobilisation campaign was borne out of deep concern that many eligible voters in the constituency, particularly youths and first-time voters, are yet to be captured in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s, INEC, register.
He emphasised that without proper registration and collection of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, citizens would be deprived of their right to determine who governs them.
“Political participation begins with voter registration. Our people cannot afford to sit on the sidelines in 2027.
“The CVR exercise provides an opportunity for those who just turned 18 to register, as well as those who have changed residence, to update their details and secure their PVCs,” Oguma said.
He urged community leaders, religious organisations and youth groups to complement INEC’s efforts by sensitising their members on the importance of registering early and avoiding the last-minute rush that often characterises electoral processes.
While commending INEC for decentralising the registration process across its state and local government offices, the chairman appealed to the commission to ensure that its officials are adequately equipped with materials and logistics to handle the expected surge in registrants.
He also reassured the constituents that the forum would continue to work with stakeholders to sustain awareness campaigns until the end of the registration period.
“Our democracy can only thrive when every eligible citizen takes ownership of the process. The power to decide the future of our constituency and Nigeria lies in our PVCs,” he added.
The CVR exercise, which began nationwide earlier this year, provides an opportunity for new registrants, those seeking to transfer their voting location and those needing corrections on their PVCs to do so ahead of the 2027 polls.
