Korede Bello, the Nigeria Award winning Music Artiste, has called on Nigerian youths to obtain Permanent voters cards (PVC) ahead of 2019 general election.
He made the call at a sensitisation campaign by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tagged ‘Youth Votes Count’ Campus Outreach at Bayero University Kano, on Tuesday.
The programme was organised within the framework of European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria by INEC with Technical assistance from European Centre for Electoral Support.
Bello, who, is also an INEC Ambasador, urged the youth to go and vote “for our conscience we have also been told that we are the future of Nigeria,
Another INEC Ambasador, a Hausa film actress, Nafisa Abdullahi, advised youths to believe in themselves and in their ability to make difference in politics not to sell their votes.
“This coming election is our opportunity to change things, your destiny is what you make use of it so use it wisely your vote is your right, it is your power, so Iam begging you to use your vote wisely and collect your PVCs ”
In his remarks, the Deputy Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Nigeria, Mr Richard Young, called on youths to get their PVCs before the deadline for the registration.
“Eighteen to thirty years you don’t see them in great numbers at the polling units and this need to be addressed as Nigeria has a great Democracy.
“This is the opportunity to bring about the change you want to see and stay away from religious violence to ensure a peaceful, non-violence transparent, free and fair election,”he said.
In his remarks, the Pro-chancellor of Bayero University, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, commended the National Commissioners of INEC, Partners of Ambassador of European Union for choosing Buk as the North-West Zone.
“All of us are INEC, the success of INEC is our success, we should insist to have free and fair election by avoiding violence and thuggery, go out to vote and let our votes count”.
Also speaking, the INEC registers chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu represented by Hajiya Amina Zakari, urged youths to mobilize themselves, register and get their PVCs to enable them cast their votes.
She, however, appealed to the general public who had yet to register or to collect their PVCs to do so before the next general elections.
According to her, the Programme mainly focused on the continuous voter registration exercise especially among youths who are the future leaders.
