Irrespective of your area of residence in Nigeria, you must have noticed the rate at which politicians are now completing projects with great alacrity as they gear up for 2019. And what more? Nigerians are also not nescient of the signs of time; elections are around the corner- but it is about a year from now, you may say; truly so. However, with reference to political horoscope, that time is not far off. The level of anticipation among Nigerians appear to take a spice, and one just have to look at the rumblings that have been renting the air- particularly on social media platforms- on the need for every citizen [within the age bracket qualified to vote and be voted for] to get a permanent voter's card. Well, is the noise really necessary? is another question you may ask.
To address that question, it is important that you understand your position in the political configuration of the nation. But before I go further, permit me to relay this scenario: imagine yourself buying into a franchise and wholly leaving the management of the business in the hands of those you have employed. It is most likely that the affairs of the venture will be run based on how well your employers deem fit, and in some instances, they can even veer off from tolling the path of the vision upon which your business is set. So, how do you bring back order and rescue your business from them in order to remain relevant in the scheme of things? - Probably by exercising your right of ownership, I guess. And in view of what have at hand; democracy is a franchise we have bought into, and one of the ways by which we can exercise our right as citizens [of a democratic state] is by making our voice heard at the polls. However, as the only thing that will make you stand up to your management staff with boldness is your company's licence so does your PVC represent an imprimatur which gives you the confidence to stand as a major stakeholder in the politics of the land.
Whereas the management of the administrative affairs of this nation has been left in the hands of a select group of individuals, we [as citizens] must not lose focus of the critical role we play in the polity of the country. Our understanding should be informed by the fact that democracy, by definition, is centered on the masses [who are meant to hold the aces] and anything to the contrary should not be tolerated.
Failure to obtain your PVC before the elections means you will be disenfranchising yourself from your civic responsibility thus it could be said that you do not really care about what becomes in the future- this attitude means you will be leaving generations coming after you with a 'mountain load of issues' to resolve. Furthermore, failing to make the move to collect your PVC will mean creating a loophole in the democratic setup; giving room for the probability of result manipulations and bringing about an imbalance in a system that already has many 'knots' to untie. So, the challenge is for you to go to the local government secretariat or accredited centers within your area and have your PVC processed for you.
As I conclude, it is important to note that addressing the many problems in the nation goes beyond collecting your PVC [and eventually voting at the polling station when the time comes] but we can all start the journey of building a greater and better Nigeria by taking a simple step- obtaining your PVC. With that PVC and taking the right decision at the polls, we can, once again, start nursing the hope of a new Nigeria where the right policies that will catalyze rapid national development are set in place.