[News] Osun State Government Declares Monday as Public Holiday, Tasks Voters To Get Their PVCs

Eligible voters in Osun State have been urged to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), even as the state government declared Monday, April 16, a work free day to enable them do so.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Adelani Baderinwa, made available to journalists in Osogbo on Sunday.

He pointed out that registration and collection of PVC is an important segment of electoral process that requires the participation of every eligible voter.

According to the statement, the essence of public holiday declared by the government is to allow government and non-government workers to register for voter card and for those that had registered to collect their PVC to avoid disenfranchisement.

Baderinwa urged people above 18 years to take the process serious, stating that tomorrow, Monday, is the last day for the voter registration exercise as declared by INEC.

Those, whose PVC had been defaced or lost, were also urged to go to the INEC registration centres in their various areas to register afresh, as the government warned against double registration, describing it as criminal.

According to the statement, “The government calls on every eligible voter to go and register for voter card and those who had register should go and collect their PVC for them to be able to perform their civic responsibility when election comes.

“Voter Registration and collection of PERMANENT Voters card (PVC) are important and strategic to electoral process and have capability of strengthening democratic governance.

“Voter registration helps to facilitate the credibility of the electoral process and democratic governance and that is why the government found it imperative to create ample opportunity by declaring tomorrow, Monday, a work free day which is the last day for the eligible voters to register.

“All residents of the state who are 18 years and above are enjoined to go to the nearest registration centre in their areas to register their names for voter card.

“A voter that has left his or former residential area should approach INEC office in his or her new area for transfer of voter card to enable him or her vote in the new residing area.

“The Continuous Voter Registration had started on Wednesday, April 11 and will end tomorrow, Monday, April 16.

“Since the continuous voter registration (CRV) is periodic, the government of the state of Osun, therefore, considers it as imperative to dedicate a day for fresh potential voters to register for their voter card and for those that had registered to collect their PVC to enable them exercise their franchise on election day,” Baderinwa said.