Large crowd of registrants in Umuahia, Abia State capital and its environs on Sunday trooped out to some registration centres mounted at the Umuahia Township Stadium in Abia State capital to register as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concluded its continuous voters’ registration exercise for the issuance of Personal Voters Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2023 general elections that day.
The registration exercise, mounted at various points in the stadium, was facilitated by a nongovernmental organization, the Akurulo Youth Foundation and tagged: “Abia Youth Power Concert”. At the township stadium, eligible registrants were seen struggling to beat the Sunday’s deadline as INEC officials had some hectic times in registering the huge crowd one after the other.
Even as the crowd struggled to register, more registering points were created by INEC officials in Umuahia to ensure that those that came out en masse to register eventually do so before going home.
However, the musical concert provided some soothing relief to those who came out to register for their PVCs as the pulsating sound of the music by renowned music stars thrilled the large crowd. The stars include: Rugged Man, Mr Raw, J Martins etc.
Most of the registrants are mainly youths from different parts of the state and beyond. Some of them who completed the exercise were seen gyrating and applauding the stars as they mount the rostrum in turns to sing.
Speaking during the exercise, the facilitator of the programme and founder of Akurulo Youth Foundation, Mr Ogala Osoka, described the event as successful, pointing out the event was organized in order to let the people, particularly youths of Abia and neighbouring states to know their civic responsibilities and appreciate the need for them to exercise their franchise.
Osoka, an insurance guru, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend the registration exercise to enable many Nigerians to register, arguing that the number of people that trooped out to register showed that many have not registered and will be disentranced during 2023 general elections.
Osoka commended the organizers and participants of the event, INEC and the people that came out to grace it and observed that it showed how prepared and ready Nigerians are in doing the right thing if the right leadership is in place.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
