Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has commended the people of the State for coming out in their large numbers to collect Permanent Voters Card(PVC) in preparation for 2023 general elections .
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the commendation while monitoring the collection of PVCs at the INEC headquarters in : Ado, Ikere, Ido and Aramoko Ekiti.
Addressing the registrants, Chief Afuye maintained that collection of PVCs, is one of the ways to strengthen the Nigeria electoral system, saying no nation experiencing voter apathy can grow and develop.
She said “Governor Oyebanji has demonstrated leadership by declaring a public holuday for you to collect your PVCs. It is good that you have come in large numbers. It is for your own benefit, but some don’t value it.
“We are moving round so that the purpose for which this holiday was declared will be met and we have no reason to regret with the population of registrants that we are seeing at all INEC offices that I have visited.
“You all know that voter apathy has always been a serious danger in the country’s elections. And it is an attempt for this government to tackle this problem that the Governor declared today as a public holiday for our people to collect their PVCs to participate in all elections.
“This year’s elections are very important to us in Ekiti and Southwest and poor interest to vote will not help our course. We also commend the staff of the Independent National Electoral commission for making themselves available for this exercise.
“You should not only collect this PVCs, come out on the day of elections and vote, this is the best way for you and I to build our nation”.
The INEC Electoral Officer, Ido/Osi Local Government , Mr. Chris Ogunmakinwa, applauded the state government for declaring public holiday for collection of PVCs.
Ogunmakinwa said the gesture has helped to increasing the number of those wanted to collect PVCs considering the large number of registrants that besieged the INEC office.