Election will be holding in the next 22days, how many eligible voters have picked their tools which is the PVC? PVC collections will end on February 8 to ensure that the electoral umpire prepares adequately enough for the elections.
What strategy can be adopted to ensure Nigerians, most importantly the youths, which constitutes 51% of the registered voters, collect their PVCs so they are eligible to elect those who would steer the affairs of this nation for the next four years?
A better idea might not come to mind compare to what Tap Initiative for Citizens Development did and would do to ensure Youths have their PVCs and vote for the right leaders.
Recently, Tap iNitiative hosted 6 football viewing centres in 6 states across the geopolitical zones of the federation to promote voter participation and voters card collection. The event which took place simultaneously during the Chelsea vs Arsenal game was viewed in Owerri, Gombe, Lagos, Cross River, Kaduna and Abuja.
During the halftime, the team Lead, Tap iNitiative, Martin Obono enlightened the participants on the importance of voting right. He illustrated that choosing a wrong coach for a football match is synonymous to electing a wrong leader in government, “a coach is like a president, if you have a bad coach, he will use a bad formation and wrong players in the wrong position. The same thing with a president or a governor, he will choose the wrong commissioners or ministers.”
Martin Obono while speaking with newsmen stated that the event was geared towards driving PVC collection and voter education. “Since official data from INEC showed that over 8million people have not collected their PVCs, we are using football, which a lot of young people are passionate about, to drive PVC collection. Therefore, for you to enter the viewing centers, you need to show you permanent voters’ card.”
The viewing centres were part of the activities the organization is using to spread its voter education messages. Martin further disclosed that the organization is hosting a live football game at the National Stadium, Surulere on the 9th of February, 2019. “The game will star football players like Kanu Nwankwo, Taribo West, Mutiu Adepoju, Victor Ikpeba, Samson Siasia, Garba Lawal, Nduka Ubgade, Uche Okechukwu, Daniel Amokachi and other 1994 African Cup of Nations champions to play against 2013 African Cup of Nations champions like Ogenyi Onazi, Mobi Oparaku, Joseph Yobo among others. During the half time of the show, M.I will be performing alongside Tuface Idibia”, He explained.