Our Votes Now Count! Let's Get Our PVCs!

[Evergreenpost]

With reference to the recent Osun State election, it is evident that our votes can now make a difference, especially with the growing influence of social media.

Gone are the days when political godfathers could single handedly influence elections, manipulate results, and impose their preferred candidates on the people without anyone being able to challenge them.

I have heard some people still arguing that our votes do not count. However, I am convinced that our votes can now make a difference while  I know that political godfathers may still have some influence over the selection of candidates before elections, I strongly believe that those who will emerge as a winner in the next election would be those genuinely supported by people

This means we now have the power to vote anyone out of office if we are dissatisfied with their performance. However, the problem I see among Nigerian youths is our inability to take the right steps at the right time.

One of the most important things you can do right now is to get your Permanent Voter's Card (PVC) or renew it if necessary.

Recently, I found myself in the midst of eleven young Nigerians who were passionately complaining about the state of the nation and how inflation has negatively affected our economy. They compared the previous administration with the current one and expressed their dissatisfaction with the country's situation.

I then asked them a simple question: "If you are unhappy with this administration and its policies, do you realize that you have the power to vote it out in the next election?"

To my greatest surprise, seven of them did not have PVCs, while some of those who had their cards admitted that they hardly voted during elections and had no intention of going out to vote in the future.

I tried my best to convince them about the importance of participating in elections, but they were unwilling to agree or cooperate with me.

How can we continue to complain about bad leadership when we are unwilling to exercise one of the most powerful democratic rights available to us?

Nigerian youths must do better. We cannot continue to demand good governance while neglecting our civic responsibilities.

I affirm that our PVC is our power to change any administration we don't like and it is our voice, or our democratic right. The best thing we can do is to get our Pvcs and participate in the next election.

The change we desire begins with our willingness to participate.

[Umulala-alala]

I wish our vote counted in last presidential election, Nigeria wouldn't have been so messed up the way it now but of all effort, the struggle and fight yet our vote didn't count that was when i said i won't be voting again.

This coming election i won't go and stress my self they way i did in last election, i might even not be going out on that day, then if the vote of the masses counts it will be then i can start voting as a Nigerian again that's from another four years.

[Ishicryptic]

As a Nigerian who wants the best for the country I also want our votes to count in the coming election because a lot of observers were of the opinion that the last election was rigged and if we're going by that I doubt that most people will be willing to come out and waste their time to vote again. But we have to give a benefit of doubt that this time around it wouldn't be business as usual for election riggers, I hope that INEC will also have the decency to conduct a credible election. The important thing for us now is to get our PVC our voters card is our rights, we shouldn't be pessimistic that this coming election will be rigged as most of us thought about the last one, let us go out and vote our conscience, even if it is rigged which I don't pray, atleast you have done your own part.

[SOKO-DEKE]

I wish our vote counted in last presidential election, Nigeria wouldn't have been so messed up the way it now but of all effort, the struggle and fight yet our vote didn't count that was when i said i won't be voting again.

This coming election i won't go and stress my self they way i did in last election, i might even not be going out on that day, then if the vote of the masses counts it will be then i can start voting as a Nigerian again that's from another four years.

I know it is really painful for people to go out and struggle to cast their votes, only for it to seem as though their votes do not matter at the end of the day as INEC may end up announcing the people they want in power, as we know that the commission is being controlled by the Nigerians on power. As a result, the efforts of voters may seem wasted because the people they voted for may not be the ones eventually declared winners.but, we should not allow these challenges to discourage us from voting. Let us keep believing, fighting for our rights, and going out to vote for our preferred candidates. It is possible that this coming election will be different from the elections we have experienced in the past and if we give we may love our chances.

Even I had decided not to go out and vote, but after receiving advice from some people, I changed my mind. The advice was that if we continue giving up, we are not helping the situation. We cannot keep complaining about the system while refusing to participate in the process of changing it. We should continue to believe in our votes and exercise our right to choose the leaders we want.

[Promocodeudo]

I wish our vote counted in last presidential election, Nigeria wouldn't have been so messed up the way it now but of all effort, the struggle and fight yet our vote didn't count that was when i said i won't be voting again.

This coming election i won't go and stress my self they way i did in last election, i might even not be going out on that day, then if the vote of the masses counts it will be then i can start voting as a Nigerian again that's from another four years.

Man we should not give up, we should vote first, I understand how painful it is when you expect the system to work very well, and the otherwise happens, voting system in Nigeria is our problem which is the reason why many criminals are still in power if not, how will some body like wike come upon to say that they have won already, the reason why an APC person will come open to make some statements is because INEC is not sincere, although if you say there's no need for you to vote it is understandable but man I will try to vote this time, took that decision recently, we never can tell you what will happen this time.

[iDEEMEE]

It is always better to play your role as a citizen and vote even though it may be rigged, that way you can boldly know you played your part.

But I honestly think the likelihood of our votes counting is low. Did you see the recent Apc rally? The stadium was packed full with thousands of Nigerians shouting renewed hope. Are these not the same people complaining of the present administration?

As a nation we are not ready for change, until we do our votes will continue to mean nothing because as a people we have put greed before our future, we do not really care if the government is bad as long as we are benefactors.

As we are making the clarion call for a better fairer Nigerian system, the people must also work on themselves. The parts make the whole.

[Marvelockg]

With reference to the recent Osun State election, it is evident that our votes can now make a difference, especially with the growing influence of social media.

I wish you’re following the rally and campaign that’s ongoing around different states and then you will know better that we have greater problem than our vote merely counting. Even with all the complain and bashing that the current administration is facing, go to stadiums and see how people are taking peanuts just to come out and support a system they tagged to be failure. If they can do that now, what’s the possibility that they won’t take money and still vote the incumbent administration?

The issue is that we are going against a ruling party that’s strong in this game of politics and what we call opposition is just a social media opposition that lacks basic structure. Our vote might count but it might surprised you to eventually know that vote buying with kill that whole possibility.

[Africolo]

With reference to the recent Osun State election, it is evident that our votes can now make a difference, especially with the growing influence of social media.

Gone are the days when political godfathers could single handedly influence elections, manipulate results, and impose their preferred candidates on the people without anyone being able to challenge them.

I have heard some people still arguing that our votes do not count. However, I am convinced that our votes can now make a difference while  I know that political godfathers may still have some influence over the selection of candidates before elections, I strongly believe that those who will emerge as a winner in the next election would be those genuinely supported by people

This means we now have the power to vote anyone out of office if we are dissatisfied with their performance. However, the problem I see among Nigerian youths is our inability to take the right steps at the right time.

One of the most important things you can do right now is to get your Permanent Voter's Card (PVC) or renew it if necessary.

Recently, I found myself in the midst of eleven young Nigerians who were passionately complaining about the state of the nation and how inflation has negatively affected our economy. They compared the previous administration with the current one and expressed their dissatisfaction with the country's situation.

I then asked them a simple question: "If you are unhappy with this administration and its policies, do you realize that you have the power to vote it out in the next election?"

To my greatest surprise, seven of them did not have PVCs, while some of those who had their cards admitted that they hardly voted during elections and had no intention of going out to vote in the future.

I tried my best to convince them about the importance of participating in elections, but they were unwilling to agree or cooperate with me.

How can we continue to complain about bad leadership when we are unwilling to exercise one of the most powerful democratic rights available to us?

Nigerian youths must do better. We cannot continue to demand good governance while neglecting our civic responsibilities.

I affirm that our PVC is our power to change any administration we don't like and it is our voice, or our democratic right. The best thing we can do is to get our Pvcs and participate in the next election.

The change we desire begins with our willingness to participate.

If our votes will really count then I will be the happiest person because it's quite difficult with the way things are that our votes can actually count, what happened in Osun state showed us that if we cast our votes and stand by it. It can actually count but the Governor of Osun decieved us claiming to be an accord party candidate not knowing he was working with Tinubu because after the elections he came out openly to declare his support for Tinubu and describe him as his father so you can see the level of corruption in the country, no one is to be trusted.

Nigerians can easily be manipulated once they see a cup of rice and five thousand naira so it's quite difficult to remove Tinubu from seat, we all claim that he must go but there is massive turn up for his campaigns and you begin to wonder if the citizens are blind and don't feel the suffering he has melted on us. I just hope we can change the narrative this time around.

[Somto9Light]

Of course we all want our votes to count because it is painful that after the sacrifices of going to the polling centre and of which most people even travel to their villages to cast their votes then it later turned out that their votes were manipulated. The government has been very serious with campaigns and telling people that they are voting for their future so it means that truly, our votes is going to count. I'm only concerned about the low number of Nigerians who have their PVCs ready for voting because that is another area that is going to become a problem. Many people do not have voters card so how will they exercise their civil rights. INEC tried to frustrate people from registering their PVCs, it shows they are afraid of too many people getting the PVC and vote of the opposition parties.

[rachael9385]

With reference to the recent Osun State election, it is evident that our votes can now make a difference, especially with the growing influence of social media.

I just pray this is true because till now I don't think our votes count at all.
The only thing that can prove that our votes counts is only if Tinubu loses the upcoming presidential election to someone else, why because I don't think half of those who genuinely voted (even if it was a rigged election ) him will still make that same mistake.

It's hard to win someone who's in power already because there they will definitely cheat to remain in that position for complete 8 years.

One thing about Nigerian election is that they will spend money to do campaign, and people will genuinely vote for their candidates but if someone who has more leverage than his opponent loses, they will secretly rigged election to be in their losers favor, and this also part of the reasons why Nigeria still remain backwords.

[Jegileman]

I wish our vote counted in last presidential election, Nigeria wouldn't have been so messed up the way it now but of all effort, the struggle and fight yet our vote didn't count that was when i said i won't be voting again.

This coming election i won't go and stress my self they way i did in last election, i might even not be going out on that day, then if the vote of the masses counts it will be then i can start voting as a Nigerian again that's from another four years.

What if it counts now, won’t you be happy that your vote is amongst the vote that counted and changed everything for the country? We never can tell when things will change for the better, so we have to keep trying and be hopeful that things change now. We have being faced with a lot of bad governance, since the days of our independence till now, we have not really enjoyed the best of governance, it just keeps getting worse every time and we are yet to see a change to that. We will not lose hope, this is our country and we must fight to see the end of this tyrant government.

[Mr_Brilliant$]

Votes count, how? The last election proved that it didn't count. Or you were not around to witness what happened. I wish it will count, hope it will. Looking over the years, i don't see the benefits in democracy. Just stating it. The last election was just nonsense. And looking at the future election, the once that made it that way are still the once in power. So how then does our vote really count? I don't know what we can actually do. But what is in my mind is revolution. We need to unseat all of the old leaders. They don't care and will never care. All they are after is themselves and their kids, nothing else. It's not also bad that we come out to exercise our votes and see whether we can change the situation of the country with our votes. Although, i doubt something will change just by voting.

[Cryptoprincess101]

This is just common among the youths and I don't blame them because when politicians keeps robbing citizens of their fundamental rights what should they expect. What you narrated is just what is happening, a lot of people do not have their permanent voters card and they are just giving same excuse that there votes doesn't count but if actually votes doesn't count, why does politicians buy people's voters card? Election cannot be rigged without a biometric which you must have your voters card to do that so I don't understand why we empathise so much that our votes doesn't count. In other hand, even if you don't have intentions of voting it's still important to have the PVC because it can also help you in applications where it will be needed before your application can be approved. Nigerians must stop the narrative that our votes doesn't count, everyone should have their PVC and exercise their franchise.

[Berry2d]

This is just common among the youths and I don't blame them because when politicians keeps robbing citizens of their fundamental rights what should they expect. What you narrated is just what is happening, a lot of people do not have their permanent voters card and they are just giving same excuse that there votes doesn't count but if actually votes doesn't count, why does politicians buy people's voters card? Election cannot be rigged without a biometric which you must have your voters card to do that so I don't understand why we empathise so much that our votes doesn't count. In other hand, even if you don't have intentions of voting it's still important to have the PVC because it can also help you in applications where it will be needed before your application can be approved. Nigerians must stop the narrative that our votes doesn't count, everyone should have their PVC and exercise their franchise.

Yes without biometric election can not be manipulated that is why politicians spend heavilyjust to secure our votes,  although i don't blame any for accepting such believe because since the origin of Nigeria results have never been announced in favour of the choice of citizens but to that of the wicked politicians destroying the country.

That have been the believe of all but will love to make them understand that our votes can count this time around if only we want it to count, and to do that we must come out in mass with one voice and the believe we are ready to get out of their boundage because this is the only reason behind our suffering in Nigeria today.

[Judith87403]

But do votes actually count? Nigerians are just tired of being manipulated at every election which is the reason why a lot of people do not see the necessity in owning a voters card not to talk of voting during elections. I watched a video of how a thug that tried to cause disturbance against NDC supporters received serious beating. I can't believe that in 2026, thugs are still hired to disrupt opposition who are campaigning. Nigeria has gone really bad and I don't even know what can save us at this time because things are really getting out of hand. They tell us that our votes are our right but after exercising our rights they go behind and so their dirty jobs.

[HajiBagi]

I wish our vote counted in last presidential election, Nigeria wouldn't have been so messed up the way it now but of all effort, the struggle and fight yet our vote didn't count that was when i said i won't be voting again.

This coming election i won't go and stress my self they way i did in last election, i might even not be going out on that day, then if the vote of the masses counts it will be then i can start voting as a Nigerian again that's from another four years.

That is the prayer every Nigerians should be pray for, we should wish our vote should be counted because there is nothing we can do, we all know that it will be difficult for the citizens to choose who they want and the person win it at the end, and it is because the country is corrupted, our leaders have turned the country to what they owned, what they said is what will happen, even the INEC will pretend like they don’t see anything happening in the country.

There is one thing i also learned about this coming election, people are supporting APC and Tinubu because if the money APC is giving to them, some of us have been blinded by money and we will not understand now until we vote them fir the second chance and regret our actions in the end, four years is not a small thing, we should try avoid what will affect our future.

[Cossyblack]

Has they ever been an election that our votes didn't count?  Don't allow any politicians to decieve you into thinking that your vote do not count in elections, otherwise why are they coming out to campaign to solicits for your votes.  They would have remain in their houses and rewrite results if it's that easy, this time around, we aren't selling our votes or buying into their lies about bringing progress to the economy.

There have been circulating rumours that they are crediting people bank account with N50k and the president was in awka ibom to approve the ibom deep seaports. And why is it that whenever election is close by, is when they go about making empty promises to the people? These politicians takes Us for a fool thinking Nigerian will believe whatever they say so that we will soften our hearts and vote them.  Those old tricks won't work on Nigerians.

[Decimetre]

Getting your PVC is no longer a new thing in this present situation because everyone don feel am for body. Any body wey still fey wait make they beg am before he go get PVC never ready for a new Nigeria. If no be say people dey think say vote no dey count, PDP for never comot for power and leave Nigeria for the hands of this APC. Nigeria don pass where vote no dey count as many people don dey wise up. E get the way they no fit use rig election again.

If you get your PVC finish, make you keep am safe too. No go loss am because na your PVC be your voice for Naija right now. If you get am finish, make sure say you vote for election day and no go collect money from party people make you for vote their own party. You fit collect money come vote the wrong person, the shege wey your eyes go see for 4 years go pass wetin they take deceive you.

[Opiate32]

We should also try and understand why some people tend to lose interest in voting. You can tell people to get their PVC and come out to vote on election day but we should not ignore what have made them give up in the first place. Imagine someone spending hours on the queue just to vote and go back home believing that they have done their part, only to later find out that their choice made no difference. This kind of experience alone can make that person feel reluctant to go through that same stress again.

INEC needs to do their part this time around to restore people’s confidence. We the voters should not be the only one that is constantly reminded of our responsibility while the ones that are responsible for protecting the process escape being accountable

[Female King]

We should also try and understand why some people tend to lose interest in voting. You can tell people to get their PVC and come out to vote on election day but we should not ignore what have made them give up in the first place. Imagine someone spending hours on the queue just to vote and go back home believing that they have done their part, only to later find out that their choice made no difference. This kind of experience alone can make that person feel reluctant to go through that same stress again.

INEC needs to do their part this time around to restore people’s confidence. We the voters should not be the only one that is constantly reminded of our responsibility while the ones that are responsible for protecting the process escape being accountable

This is not time to lose interest it could be that things will change this time and our votes will count because from how things are going now i believe there will an eye in next year election even the INEC will be monitored properly so they won't do their evil deeds at the dying minute, our own is never to give up, although i know how painful it is to see that unpon every effort made that people votes didn't count but still let's all come out in our numbers and vote for the right candidates maybe our votes will be recorded this time.