Carrington fellows urge Nigerian Youth to get PVCs, participate in poll processes

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

As part of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative (CYFI) ongoing PVC Drive Campaign, members have urged Nigerian youths to see their PVCs as their power and access to political significance.

The foundation made the call during a webinar, tagged: “Your PVC; Plastic or Power.?

The webinar which was held on Zoom, brought young people from different spheres together to discuss issues around electoral participation, with respect to the forthcoming elections.

During the event, which was moderated by Kawthar Salahudeen, a 2019 fellow of the Carrington Youth Fellowship, she stated that more young people still needed to understand the importance of their PVC, and so stop seeing it beyond mere plastics.

“We need to understand that these powerful PVCs will determine the fate of the nation in about 14 months to come, ” Salahudeen explained.

President of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Alumni Network, Olusola Owonikoko, in his opening remark where he expressed the reason for this webinar, said CYFI remains committed to mobilizing increased youth participation in Nigeria.

“The PVC drive is directly connected to the future of the youths, because only through strategic participation can we make our voices heard, and the 2023 elections provide a significant window of opportunity”, Owonikoko said.

He added that the youth including women must shun all forms of indifference and contribute to the national conversation around the coming elections. “We all must register for the PVC and be fully involved in electoral and political processes.”

According to Paul Enejo, programs Manager, Elections Yiaga Africa, “PVC is power and it gives a voter the power to vote”.

He stated that aside from getting the PVC, it is more important to have the right attitude towards political participation. Enejo is of the opinion that the right attitude will birth novel ideas and strategies towards meaningful engagement in the 2023 elections.

Kunle Lawal, Executive Director, Electoral College, noted that “your PVC is your key card to your country, essentially because it unlocks your voting power.”

According to Lawal, the PVC gives power and takes power!

Oyeyemi Immanuel, a legal practitioner, and social entrepreneur explained to participants at the webinar that the corporate sector and individuals have a role to play in the electoral process of our great country. “The corporate sector has a bigger role to play in driving choices that directly impacts our nation. Our economy is in need of resuscitation and the corporate sector plays a critical role towards the sustainable development of our nation.”

Stressing the need for increased participation among the youth, she said “Individuals should see the need to participate actively and strategically in the electoral process, not until then can say we have made a choice.”

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