By Adeyemi Adeleye
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State on Wednesday took its “Register2Vote” Awareness Campaign to Tejuosho and Makoko Markets, Yaba, in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area.
Leading the team of INEC top management staff and workers, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Ayobami Salami, said the campaign was another step to sensitise eligible residents to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR)exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the INEC boss moved round the markets on foot sensitising people on the need to get registered while jingles conveying the same message in various major Nigerian languages, blared through the commission’s public address system.
Salami said that the CVR was for Nigerians who had just clocked 18 years and those who had never registered before, seeking fresh registration.
He added that eligible residents seeking transfer of their registrations due to relocation from one place to another could also participate.
According to him, those seeking corrections of their details as well as those seeking replacement of lost and damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) could also present themselves.
Speaking to newsmen at Tejuosho Market, Salami said: “As everyone is quite aware that we are in the second phase of the CVR exercise, our aim is to move closer to our stakeholders, to the people, especially at market places.
“This is part of our effort to ensure that a lot of people who have not known about this exercise before and most people who have not registered are able to register.
“We have embarked on massive mobilisation and public education. We know that market women and men are very critical in this regard.
“That is why we have decided to embark on market outreaches, and Tejuosho and Makoko Fish Markets are major markets in Lagos State.
“We have come to market women, to educate them, to sensitise them and mobilise them to ensure that they register to vote,” Salami said.
According to him, all the major markets in the sate will be covered “because we do not want anybody to be left behind or any critical sector of the state to be left behind.”
Speaking after the awareness campaign at Makoko, Salami said his observation was that many old people were aware of the CVR,but young people who just clocked 18 or 19 were unaware or chose to be lackadaisical.
He, however,said that residents’ response during second phase of the CVR, which started on Jan. 5 nationwide, was better than the first phase in 2025.
“The turnout has been very impressive but not enough. And I believe as we continue, we are going to get better response
“This is a very good step that we are taking to come to this place because our intention is not to leave every eligible voter behind.
“Therefore we have decided to move close to the grassroots, rather than stay in the comfort of our offices and then preach the message.
“We have brought the message down to the people in their places of work, their abodes and their places of comfort,” the INEC REC said.
He said that new electoral timetable had also necessitated the increased awareness to get everyone on board before the end of the exercise.
“We need to tell our people so that they know that the time we have is limited and we have to make use of the opportunity we have now,” he added.
Reassuring that votes would count in the forthcoming election, the INEC boss said that anyone without PVCs would not be able to vote in 2027 general elections.
He said that INEC would embark on genuine revalidation of voter register ahead of the polls to ensure credibility.
“If we are good Nigerians, and we are bothered about our quality of life and the kind of leaders that we elect, everybody must be a participant.
“Therefore, for you to participate, the basis of that participation starts with your registration as a voter,” Salami said.
He said that INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan had reassured that “this 2027 election is going to be the best election we have had in Nigeria so far.”
Cautioning against multiple registration, Salami said that the team had taken similar sensitisation campaign to other popular markets on Lagos Island, Somolu, Oyingbo, Agege, Ifako-Ijaiye among other areas.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
AYO/BHB
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Edited by Buhari Bolaji
