A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has appealed to residents of the South-East to actively participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

 

Speaking at an event in Imo State on Saturday, El-Rufai noted that recent data released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows the South-East trailing behind other regions in voter registration numbers.

 

He particularly appealed to women in the region to mobilise their children and wards for registration, stressing that voter participation is a civic duty that strengthens democracy.

 

“Because the governance of our country today is democratic, we elect our leaders – we don’t select them, we don’t appoint them. So voting is important. Registering to vote is a civic duty. This is not a political imperative, it is a civil duty, which, as a citizen, you must take advantage of,” he said.

 

El-Rufai urged mothers, sisters, and daughters to encourage young people, especially those who are 16 years and above and will attain voting age before the next elections, to register early.

 

“The South-East, including Imo State, is lagging behind the rest of Nigeria in the ongoing CVR exercise. I want to appeal to you, our mothers, our sisters, our daughters in this room, please take this up and get our children that are 16 years and above, who will be 18 in two years, to register and be ready to vote. It is very important,” he added.

 

The former governor emphasised that voter registration and participation remain crucial tools for the people of the South-East to ensure their voices are heard in Nigeria’s democratic process.