2023 General Elections: INEC ready to partner relevant bodies for credible elections_ Igini
Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini has avered that the commission is ready to collaborate with all sections of the society in the State to achieve a free, fair and credible election in 2023.
He made this remark when he interacted with The Regional Coordinator of Region 14 Directorate of Politics and Governance (DPG) Mr Peter Inyang and his team at the INEC state headquarters on Saturday.
Igini noted that it was important that the citizens get actively involved in electoral processes stressing that issues that affect human life, socially, politically, and everything were all embedded in politics and the political process.
“All other stakeholders, everybody, more than ever before, given what is going on in the country, must come together to ensure that the 2023 election is one that all adults of full age and competent understanding qualified to vote, get themselves registered.
“If you don’t participate, given that all these issues are embedded in politics and political processes, you will be completely excluded in terms of their internal and external outcome.
“So, the subject of this engagement no doubt is one that is so important in terms of its significance as we approach the 2023 elections. You talked about how we could partner, work together in terms of Voter and Civic Education, Civic and voters education is a multi-stakeholders responsibility”.
He thanked the RCCG team for the initiative, saying that, the commission has actually been looking forward to such collaboration, given the fact that the 2023 elections were near.
Earlier, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, region 14, Akwa Ibom State had requested the collaboration of the Independent National Electoral Commission to facilitate the registration and collection of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, for its members.
According to the leader of the team, Mr Peter Inyang, the Church Directorate of Politics and Governance (DPG) was created in January 2022 to coordinate the affairs and activities of its members interested in seeking political offices among others.
He listed other objectives to include creating awareness and sensitization of RCCG members for effective political participation, mobilising members to register and play their own roles including collecting their PVCs and registering in any political party of their choice.
“One of the major challenges is that even with the large membership base RCCG has in Akwa Ibom State, a lot of our members who are eligible to vote do not have PVCs.
“This is partly due to the difficulty in obtaining one, coupled with a previous attitude of general apathy to politics. Again, the recently announced deadline for registration for PVCs is 30th June 2022 makes it more difficult.
“Consequently, fulfilling our key objective which is to facilitate registration, and collection of PVCs by/for RCCG members and encourage them to participate in the voting process in 2023, is a very difficult task.
“Hence, the need for collaboration with your good office in the following areas are imperative. We request that a registration centre be set up in each of the 13 RCCG Provinces in Akwa Ibom State to expedite the registration and collection of PVCs by members.
“Also we humbly request that INEC officials visit each of the RCCG Provinces in Akwa Ibom State for education, sensitization and awareness of RCCG members’ civic and moral obligations to partake in elections.”
