ENUGU — The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), South-East Zone, has urged youths in the region to use their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) wisely in the 2027 general elections, saying the outcome of the recent Osun governorship election underscored the importance of allowing voters to freely choose their leaders
The NYCN South-East Vice President, Comrade Henry Atigwe, made the call on Monday during a press briefing on lessons from the Osun election and preparations for the 2027 general elections
Atigwe commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its efforts towards conducting credible elections and also praised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as allowing the electoral process to function without undue interference
He urged political leaders, particularly in the South-East, to move away from electoral manipulation, intimidation and inducement, stressing that leadership should be determined by competence, character, capacity and performance
The youth leader called on young people across the five South-Eastern states to obtain and safeguard their PVCs and use them to demand accountability, good governance, improved security, economic opportunities and development
He also announced a grassroots mobilisation campaign, tagged “Operation Use Your PVC Well,” aimed at encouraging youths to study candidates and vote based on their records rather than party sentiments
Atigwe further called on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to intensify efforts towards delivering tangible projects capable of addressing the region’s infrastructure and other developmental challenges
As the 2027 elections approach, he urged INEC to strengthen electoral transparency and the use of technology, while calling on political actors to respect the choices of voters
“The era of political impunity must end The era of electoral accountability must begin. Our PVC is our voice. Our vote is our power. Our future is in our hands,” he said.