‘Your Vote Is Your Voice’, Saraki Urges Youths To Embrace Voter Registration Opportunity

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has advised that young people should take the advantage of the ongoing continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise to get their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

Saraki took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday to lament that only about 24 million individuals representing 26 per cent of the 94 million Nigerians, who registered to vote in 2023, came out to cast their ballots.

He said, “Across Nigeria, the Continuous Voter Registration has begun, and with it comes another opportunity to shape our future together.

“In 2023, young Nigerians showed great promise, as nearly 40 per cent of registered voters were between 18 and 34, and over 93 million collected their PVCs. Yet only 26.7 per cent turned out to vote. Out of almost 94 million who registered, just about 24 million cast their ballots. That gap speaks to the silence of that demographic when it comes to decision-making, and silence does not build nations.

“Your vote is your voice. Your ballot is your power. With it, you choose leaders, you shape policies, and you decide the direction of your community, your state, and your country.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that 69,376 prospective voters pre-registered online within seven hours of the CVR opening. The pre-registration will enable prospective voters to book a date and time to complete the exercise in person.

Qualified Nigerians, especially first-time voters, will be able to fill in their personal details such as names, dates of birth, residential addresses and preferred polling units.

Applicants can also use the portal to request transfers of their voting locations, replacement of lost or damaged permanent voter cards (PVCs), or corrections of personal information.

“In-person registration starts August 25, 2025, at all its 37 state offices and 774 local government area (LGA) offices nearest to you,” INEC said.

The in-person registration will later be devolved to other designated registration centres across the country, based on an assessment of the CVR exercise and security situation, and other factors relating to the safety of personnel and materials.

INEC said the CVR exercise is open to new voters aged 18 and above and warned against multiple registrations, stating that violators would face penalties.

The commission encouraged eligible citizens to use the opportunity to register, noting that voter registration is critical for inclusive participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.

The CVR will run for several months, after which INEC will publish a preliminary voter register for public scrutiny before finalising the list of eligible voters for the 2027 elections.