A Non-Governmental Organisation, PAN African Women Project in collaboration with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC are sensitising women and marginalised persons in North Western States on Continuous Voter Registration Excercise ahead of 2023 General elections.
The Head of Mission, PAN African Women Project, Mrs Eno Udensi, said the sensitisation was to promote good governance and sustain democracy in Africa.
Udensi who stated this at a one day North-West sensitisation workshop for women, noted that the forum will speak to women, youths, people with disabilities and the electorates to ensure they register their votes during the ongoing continuous voter registration excercise across the country.
“Continuous Voter Registration Excercise commenced since June 30 this year, so everyone should prepare especially those who are yet to register to do so, as INEC is preparing the electorates ahead of forthcoming elections.
” It time for women, youths and other people with disabilities to get ready and register for Permanent Voter Card ahead of the elections especially here in North West,” Mrs Udensi said.
She explained that the sensitisation workshop was part of the PAN African Women Project activity and commitments to encourage people across the country to register which would enable them to exercise their franchise.
The Head of Mission however also noted that the power of every electorates is permanent voter card which could change many things and determine good future. She urged the participants to pass the acquired information to the nook and crannies of all 7 North Western States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
In her remarks, the Deputy Director Gender Relations of Gender and Inclusivity Department, INEC Mrs Chika Osuji, said time has come for North West women, youths and marginalized people to use the opportunity and register their permanent voter card to determine country’s faith in coming 2023 elections.
Osuji called on all women, youths and marginalized people who are yet to register to do so for proper participation in all coming elections. She reitterated INEC commitments to provide easy access during the forthcoming elections to all marginalized person across the country.
Also in her remarks, Director Center for Enterprenuership Development, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Professor Maryam Koko, tasked women to always be up and doing to their responsibility to contribute their quoter to nation building.
Professor Koko who was the keynote speaker at the event and presented a paper titled ‘A Clarion call for women participation’ lamented the plight of women and marginalised people in their quest for accessing permanent voter card.
“We must try to encourage and sensitises women as much as we can, because women constitutes 50% of population and still left behind during all these process.
“We must also realized that the good of every society depends on women, because if things are not going well with women especially during elections it will definitely affect other process,” Professor Koko said.
She called on women in the country to take advantage of this excercise of continue voter registration to collectively contribute to nation building.
The Sokoto State Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC Sadiq Musa, who was represented by Head of Voter Education, Usman Muhammad, said the continue voter registration is currently ongoing online and thumbprinting across 23 local government areas of Sokoto and the State Capital.
Muhammad urged women not to be left behind, because they are the bedrock of every society. According to him, before 2019 elections Sokoto State registered a total number of 1,908,000 and 29.33% were women.
“And that the need for women to improve on their Registration capacity cannot be over emphasis. This will enable them to plan with the present Nigerian Democratic structure, and I urge women who are both prospective and above the age of 18yrs and also those that have not registered before to come out en mass to do so for their overall benefit,” he said.
Suzan O
