Be Vigilant As INEC Issues Permanent Voters’ Cards; Aregbesola Tells Osun Electorates
Staff
March 9, 2014
Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola today joined other citizens of the state to participate in the voters’ verification exercise and the collection of the permanent voter’s card in preparation towards the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state and urged the electorates to be vigilant during the exercise.
Aregbesola arrived at the Ifofin Ilesa Ward 8 Unit 1 polling center in company of the First Lady, Alhaja Serifat Aregbesola at exactly12:25pm into the waiting arms of the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Grace Titilayo Laoye Tomori, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ambassador Rufus Akeju and other electorates.
Speaking shortly after completing his verification and collecting his permanent voters card, Aregbesola described the power which the people has to freely and confidently select or elect their leaders as the greatest power in the modern day society, saying that the power of a modern society is the power of an adult to choose the leaders they believe can represent their interest.
He said democracy is about the people and it is the best form of ensuring the popular participation in the election of representatives, stressing that the right that democracy gives equally calls for a reciprocal discharge of responsibility from the citizens because it is not just enough to have the right to elect representatives but discharge responsibilities that will support the process which will ensure that representatives perform the duties which they elected for.
Aregbesola who stated that the responsibility of the citizens is not only demonstrated through the payment of tax alone stress that the citizens of a state also needs to participate in the process of electing a responsible leader and also be vigilant to the security of their environment, the transparency of officials of the state and about how policies that affects them are being implemented.
While calling on the citizens of the state to troop out en mass to verify their voters cards, the Governor stated that the cards must be kept jealously not only for the August 9 elections in the state but for subsequent elections pointing out that just like the ATM cards the permanent voter’s cards also contains necessary information about the holder.
He called on all those who are sure that they registered for the 2011 elections to go and verify and collect the permanent voters’ card while urging those who have misplaced their temporary voter’s cards to also go to their registration point with a passport size photograph to fill a form and get a new permanent voters card.
He said for those who could not find their names on the voters register, they will have the opportunity to do a fresh registration as from on the12th of March 2014 when they will be given their own voter’s card.
The Governor also used the opportunity to explain to members of the All Progressives Congress that their party registration cards alone will not qualify them to vote during the elections but only makes them to be recognised as just party members saying that it is only the permanent voter’s card that they can use to exercise their franchise.
BIOREPORTS
Speaking shortly after completing his verification and collecting his permanent voters card, Aregbesola described the power which the people has to freely and confidently select or elect their leaders as the greatest power in the modern day society, saying that the power of a modern society is the power of an adult to choose the leaders they believe can represent their interest.
He said democracy is about the people and it is the best form of ensuring the popular participation in the election of representatives, stressing that the right that democracy gives equally calls for a reciprocal discharge of responsibility from the citizens because it is not just enough to have the right to elect representatives but discharge responsibilities that will support the process which will ensure that representatives perform the duties which they elected for.
Aregbesola who stated that the responsibility of the citizens is not only demonstrated through the payment of tax alone stress that the citizens of a state also needs to participate in the process of electing a responsible leader and also be vigilant to the security of their environment, the transparency of officials of the state and about how policies that affects them are being implemented.
While calling on the citizens of the state to troop out en mass to verify their voters cards, the Governor stated that the cards must be kept jealously not only for the August 9 elections in the state but for subsequent elections pointing out that just like the ATM cards the permanent voter’s cards also contains necessary information about the holder.
He called on all those who are sure that they registered for the 2011 elections to go and verify and collect the permanent voters’ card while urging those who have misplaced their temporary voter’s cards to also go to their registration point with a passport size photograph to fill a form and get a new permanent voters card.
He said for those who could not find their names on the voters register, they will have the opportunity to do a fresh registration as from on the12th of March 2014 when they will be given their own voter’s card.
The Governor also used the opportunity to explain to members of the All Progressives Congress that their party registration cards alone will not qualify them to vote during the elections but only makes them to be recognised as just party members saying that it is only the permanent voter’s card that they can use to exercise their franchise.
BIOREPORTS
