EU, INEC, Others Partner on Youth Participation in Electoral Process

Sunday Okobi

The European Union(EU) in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other organisations has begun a scheme to encourage Nigerian youths to get more involved in the electoral process in the country.

These bodies disclosed that a musical concert for the youth titled: ‘Youth Vote Count Mega Concert’, which will be held next Saturday at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), is part of the move to encourage Nigerian youths to show more interest in the electioneering process in 2023 general election.

At a press briefing held yesterday to usher in the concert, the EU Representative, Miss Laolu Olawunmi, disclosed that the international body was worried about the low turnout of youths on election day, which explains the reason for the involvement of the EU in the project, pointing out that it was designed to increase youth participation in the voting process in the country.

She recalled that in 2019, the EU took the campaign of youth voting on election day to schools, saying the message was also extended to those who were not in school, and that no youth was exempted in the campaign.

Meanwhile, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos State, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, at the event assured electorate that the commission had improved the way election was conducted, adding that their vote would count as, according to him, the elections would be credible.

The resident commissioner, who lamented that out of 34,000 unclaimed PVCs since Monday that the programme started, however, appealed to the electorate to come to the commission’s office to collect theirs, even as he further disclosed that the PVCs of those who registered between June and December 2021 were now ready for collection.

However, Olawunmi said: “EU is supporting the democratic government in Nigeria, and as such, EU went around the country in 2019 and get 25,000 youths registered. We believe that through this campaign, youths can begin to change and think of how the political system can benefit them.

“It is an event we started planning last year, and here we are today. We need the commitment of INEC and that the process will continue to improve, and that we have free, fair and credible elections.

“The Youth Vote Count Mega Concert is a non-partisan thing to ensure that youth participate more, get more involved in elections and allow other Nigerians to participate as well.”

In his remark, INEC REC  in Lagos State, Agbaje, said the concert was put together to encourage more youths to get registered and obtain their PVCs ahead of the coming elections in the country to enable them to participate in the exercise.

He stated that the ongoing voter registration exercise which commenced last Monday would terminate on June 13, 2022, without further extension.

The REC, who further disclosed that INEC estimated that thousands of youths would seize the opportunity to get registered, said PVC and voter registration slips will serve as tickets to admit participants into the concert.

Agbaje maintained that to make the registration of voters easier in Lagos State, 50 machines were deployed to the venue of the concert, while 30 of the machines were allocated to register newly eligible voters, with 20 set aside for those who had problems with their PVCs.

“Lagos State is focused due to its high population. 13,325 polling units had been created in the state in order to bring the polling units nearer to the people, and also the commission is interested in each polling unit having a significant number of people,” he stated.

Also, YIAGA Executive Director, Sampson Itodo, in his comments, emphasised on the greatness of Lagos, noting that it is not enough to have such qualities but not participating in the electoral process of the country. He added that the concert will also encourage the youth that their vote will count.

Itodo disclosed that musical icons, artistes and comedians, including M I Ababa, 2 Baba, Small Doctor, Pasuma, Uche Jumbo, and Omi Obohi, among others have been lined up to perform at the concert in order to get youths to participate in the next elections.