Stop complaining on social media, get your PVCs, group urges Lagosians

The Good Governance Group (G3), a group of like-minds with the goal of creating awareness and building human capacity aimed at filling the gaps in the political space, yesterday held a voters awareness campaign in Surulere area of Lagos State, enjoining citizens to be active participants in the nation’s democratic experience.

The walk began from Babs Animashaun street in Surulere, as members of the group urged citizens to stop complaining on social media but take their destinies in their hands by choosing the right leaders to birth the Nigeria they desire.

Some of the banners read: ‘Social media will not help you, only your PVC will help you get the change you desire;’ ‘Don’t just register to vote, step out to vote;’ ‘Please Vote Conscientiously (PVC);’ ‘Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution, make your vote count;’ among others.

Coordinator of the group, Joseph Adewale Rennaiye, said they decide to sensitise the public because of the seeming lukewarm attitude of many people in the developed cities towards elections.

“Part of what we are set out to do is to engender good governance and the bedrock of good governance all over the world is democracy. Today’s Democracy Day is worth celebrating and we believe one thing we can do to ensure we get the grassroots and the elites is to have an awareness campaign as voters education will help improve our democratic experience.”

Speaking on why the group decided to enjoin citizens get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), Rennaiye said: “Every society is governed by its laws. As at today, before you can vote in Nigeria, you must have your PVC. So, it is fundamental that as citizens we must possess that instrument that makes us eligible to perform our civic duty of choosing our leaders.”

The founder of Global Impact Church and convener of the group, Pastor Yemi Davids, noted that the church is at the forefront of good governance because the church consists of Nigerians and when Nigeria bleeds, the citizens all bleed.

“Prayers will not solve all problems, some will demand some actions. This is why we are pushing for Nigerians not just Christians to be more active in politics. Our future plan is to continue this campaign and then have an institution called the Good Governance Institute. We are still at the planning stage. We are laying the bricks so that as we encourage our people to be actively engaged in politics, we want to ensure they are well trained and prepared on the ethos of good governance to deliver the goods to the people.”