CLO Urges S-East Govs to Launch ‘Operation Show Your Voter’s Card’ to Tackle Apathy

The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has called on South-East governors to roll out an aggressive public sensitisation campaign for Permanent Voter’s Card registration under a proposed “Operation Show Your Voter’s Card” initiative.

The campaign, CLO said, should target markets, schools, ministries, government establishments, and be driven through religious and community leaders to motivate citizens to participate in the electoral process.

Speaking to journalists in Enugu on Thursday, Anambra State Chairman of CLO, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, said the call was necessary given the widespread voter apathy and indifference observed across the region.

“It is pathetic that during our sensitisation and mobilisation, many citizens vowed never to participate in future elections due to displeasure over the outcome of the 2023 presidential election,” Ezekwueme said.

He warned that voter disengagement was undermining democracy in the South-East, noting that the zone has the lowest number of registered voters among the six geopolitical zones. 

“In every periodic election, less than 20 per cent of registered voters cast their votes,” he said. “This ugly and unacceptable situation can be changed if political, religious, civil society organizations, market and traditional leaders embark on aggressive sensitization and education of citizens.”

Ezekwueme stressed that participatory democracy remains the only legitimate path to electing accountable leaders, with voter registration as its foundation. 

“When good people are in power, the people rejoice. This can only be actualised with your voter’s card,” he said. “It is your right and responsibility to contribute towards enthronement of good leaders.”

The CLO chairman also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to make registration less stressful by creating additional Continuous Voter Registration centres, polling units, and electoral wards to serve new estates and layouts in the five South-East states.

He commended the Justice, Development and Peace/Caritas (JDPC) Archdiocese of Onitsha, led by Rev. Fr. Edwin Udoye, for its aggressive sensitisation on CVR registration, saying other faith-based groups should emulate the effort.

“If we don’t take interest in politics, politics will take interest in us,” Ezekwueme said. “Apathy, indifference, and nonchalant attitude toward democracy is a threat to democratic culture. Use your vote wisely to help eradicate corruption and bad governance.”