By Olayinka Ajayi 

The Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (Rtd.), has called on all eligible residents of Lagos State to take full advantage of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).  

In a statement by the Public Affairs Unit, Okikiolu-Ighile said the voter card is not just a piece of plastic; it is the most powerful instrument that unlocks the door to accountability and good governance. 

She stressed that voter registration is the foundation of democratic participation, noting that democracy can only flourish when citizens take ownership of the process by registering, voting, and holding leaders accountable.

She insisted that Lagos State remains the heartbeat of Nigeria’s democratic struggle and home to over 7.1 million registered voters — the highest in the nation. Yet, despite these impressive democratic credentials, millions more eligible citizens — more importantly first-time voters, young people, and those who have relocated — remain uncaptured as eligible voters. This gap is not just a statistic; it is a democratic deficit that must be addressed. Every unregistered citizen is a silenced voice, a missing vote, and a weakened foundation for our collective future.

Justice Okikiolu-Ighile emphasized that the sensitization programme is not just about information; it is about mobilization, whose message must be carried to communities, places of worship, schools, and workplaces. “Civic participation is a collective responsibility, and together we can ensure that Lagos State continues to set the pace in democratic engagement,” she said, soliciting collaboration and partnership of stakeholders in delivering one clear message to the electorate — Your PVC is your voice. Your vote is your power, and your participation is sacrosanct. 

On his part, Chief Akim Durojaiye Oluwo, LASIEC’s Commissioner, commended the efforts of INEC in sustaining the exercise, which forms the foundation of credible, inclusive, and participatory elections in our democratic process as the citizens look ahead to the 2027 General Elections.

Mr. Abdul-Rafiu Omowole Fashola, the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, “reminds Lagosians that: ‘A vibrant democracy is built by active citizens, and registering to vote is the first step in that journey.’” He urged the participants to let the sensitization programme be the spark that ignites a wave of civic campaign across the length and breadth of Lagos State, so that together we can build a Lagos where every eligible voter is registered, every PVC is collected, and every vote is cast and counted.