The Coalition of Civil Society Workers and Human Rights Defenders has urged Nigerians to end electoral manipulation by participating in the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) and Permanent Voters Cards ( PVCs) collection.

Its convener, Osmond Ugwu, made the call in Enugu at a news Conference. Mr Ugwu called on Nigerians to rise to the challenge of ending electoral manipulations, merchandising of elective offices by politicians and exclusion of credible persons from contesting elective offices through high cost of expression of interest forms.

 He said the coalition appreciated the interest being exhibited by the electorate in getting their PVCs recently. Mr Ugwu also urged eligible voters to get their PVCs and vote in the 2023 general elections.  

“To this end, we call on the electorate not to vote for anyone that uses money to buy his or her so-called victory during primaries for president, governor or representatives at the national and state assembly levels,” he stressed. “At the same time, vote out political parties that raise their expression of interest/nomination forms beyond the reach of civil servants and lecturers who wish to contest offices of the president, governor, national and state Assembly and local government chairman.” 

The coalition demanded “a total review of all state electoral laws to be in line with the national electoral laws to encourage mass participation of the electorate in grassroots elections as well.” 

(NAN)