INEC intensifies CVR education at Calabar carnival

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has used the opportunity of the teeming crowd of spectators, participants and government dignitaries at the Calabar carnival to preach the gospel of fair election and need for continuous voter’s registration ahead of the 2019 general elections.

INEC staff, numbering over 400 drawn from many offices in the South-South region and Abuja national office, were mobilised to participate in this year’s Calabar carnival for the voters registration and education.

They used loudspeakers and shared handbills as they danced dexterously atop their trucks and vehicles which were decorated with their colours and logo. The staff also engaged spectators in different Nigerian languages on the need to exercise their power by voting better politicians of their choice during future elections.

A senior staff, who did not want her name mentioned, said that INEC was participating in the carnival for the second time. She said it was not done to publicise any political party.

“Like any other participating organisation, we also pay a given sum to the Cross River State Carnival Commission to support the event and to enable us participate in order to sensitise the voting public on the importance of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), acquisition of the voter’s card and the new method of doing so,” she said.