By Isaac Mission
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Southeast Zone, has begun a grassroots campaign aimed at encouraging young Nigerians to make informed use of their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The initiative, tagged “Operation Use Your PVC Well,” is designed to educate and mobilise youths across the five Southeast states on the importance of participating actively and responsibly in the electoral process.
Vice President of the NYCN Southeast Zone, Dr Atigwe Henry Ifeanyi, announced the campaign during a briefing in which he discussed lessons from the recent Osun State governorship election and preparations for the 2027 polls.
Atigwe urged young voters to move beyond party loyalty, ethnic considerations and political affiliations when choosing candidates. He said voters should instead examine candidates based on their competence, integrity, character, capacity and previous records in public office.
He stressed that the PVC should be viewed as more than a means of identification, describing it as a powerful tool that allows citizens to influence the quality of leadership at various levels of government.
According to him, young people should be prepared to reject leaders who fail to perform and support candidates who can demonstrate credible achievements and a genuine commitment to public service.
The NYCN leader called on youths in the Southeast to safeguard their PVCs and use their votes to demand better governance, improved security, economic opportunities, quality infrastructure and greater accountability from elected officials.
He said the council would collaborate with youth leaders and organisations across the region to take the campaign to communities and ensure that young voters understand the importance of their participation.
Atigwe also appealed to youths to shun electoral violence, manipulation and other activities capable of undermining the democratic process. He encouraged them to study candidates, examine their records, ask relevant questions and make informed decisions before voting.
Commenting on the recent Osun governorship election, he said the exercise had highlighted the importance of credible elections. He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its efforts to ensure that voters’ choices are properly reflected in electoral outcomes.
He also praised President Bola Tinubu for allowing democratic institutions to operate without what he described as undue interference, saying such an environment could strengthen confidence in the electoral system.
As part of preparations for 2027, Atigwe urged INEC to continue improving its electoral procedures, technology, transparency and institutional independence to guarantee credible elections.
He equally called on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to deliver projects with measurable benefits to residents of the region, stressing that citizens would continue to demand accountability from public institutions.
According to Atigwe, the “Operation Use Your PVC Well” initiative is intended to encourage a shift among young voters from politics driven by sentiment to one based on performance and accountability.
He described the PVC as a tool through which youths can influence the direction of governance and urged them to make the 2027 election an opportunity to demand responsive and accountable leadership.