The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission has urged  residents to take advantage of the ongoing INEC’s Continuous Voter Registration exercise to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Card.

LASIEC chairwoman, Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, made the appeal in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

The statement was issued by Tope Ojo, LASIEC’s spokesman.

Ms Okikiolu-Ighile said that voter registration remained the foundation of democratic participation. According to her, democracy can only flourish when citizens take ownership of the process by registering to vote and holding leaders accountable.

“The right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy,” Ms Okikiolu-Ighile said.

She urged all eligible Lagos residents, particularly first-time voters and those who had relocated, to utilise this opportunity to register, update, or transfer their voter information.

“Your PVC is your voice, and your voice must be heard in shaping the future of our communities and our dear state,” the LASIEC boss said.

She reaffirmed LASIEC’s commitment to sustained voter education and sensitisation. According to her, this aligns with LASIEC’s mandate to conduct credible local government elections and strengthen grassroots democracy.

She also appealed to community leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups, and other stakeholders to support the mobilisation of residents for registration. The LASIEC chief said that all stakeholders must ensure that no eligible citizen is excluded from the registration process.

The Independent National Electoral Commission on August 18 launched a nationwide CVR with online pre-registration via its portal: https://www.cvr.inecnigeria.org or www.cvr.inec.gov.ng.

The in-person physical registration/biometric capturing started one week after, on August 25.

(NAN)