2023 is only a few months away; how prepared are you for the general elections as a stakeholder in our country Nigeria? Do you have your Permanent Voters Card (PVC) already, or are you waiting for the big rush?

Do you know that your PVC is your bargaining chip as a citizen of Nigeria? Without a PVC you can’t vote, which means denying yourself active participation in a democracy; thereby empowering politicians to decide your fate and that of our country at will.

If you lost or yet to have a PVC, please know that the Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) is still ongoing, and INEC has made the process even much easier. From the very comfort of your home/office, over a mobile phone or a computer, you can now have yourself pre-registered at ease without having to queue for long hours at registration centres.

Who Is Eligible For This Registration Exercise?

The Chairman Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu during a press briefing said that the registration exercise is for the following categories of Nigerians:

1. Those who are 18 years and above and
have not registered previously.
2. Registered voters who have had any
problem during accreditation for any past election, with either their Permanent Voters’ Cards or their fingerprints not being read by the
Smart Card Reader.
3. Registered voters who want to transfer their voting location from one place to another.
4. Registered voters who want to correct issues with their data, such as misspelt names, dates of birth, etc.
5. Registered voters whose PVCs are lost or damaged.

The following steps below will help you get pre-registered:

1. Visit cvr.inecnigeria.org to create an account with a valid email
address.
2. Follow the account activation link sent to your email address.
3. Login and fill out the form.
4. Select a convenient date for your biometric capturing.
5. Submit form and wait for application slip containing ID, QR Code and other details.
6. Print out the application slip.
7. Visit your INEC registration centre to capture your biometric on the appointed date.
8. A registration slip will be issued once registration is completed.
9. Use the issued slip to collect your Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC).

Unlike previous years, the process is now made simple and devoid of any ambiguity. Do not disenfranchise yourself, and refuse to sit on the fence anymore and complain about the ailing system. Get yourself a PVC and advise anyone you know to get theirs too. Together we can rewrite history, choose a leader of our choice and create a country we all will be proud of. Change begins with owning a PVC and deciding to use it when the need arises. God bless Nigeria!