• Threatens restrictions against defaulters

From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki

The Anglican Diocese of Afikpo, Ebonyi State, has declared an operation show your voter card across churches in the Diocese.

The church said it has decided to make the declaration following poor participation of the South East in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) across the six geopolitical zones ahead of the 2027 general election.

The Diocese said it was disheartening that while there is a remarkable surge in participation from northern states and South West, South East of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states participation in the continuous registration exercise was not much desired.

Bishop of the Diocese, Rev. Paul Udogu stated this in Oso Edda, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State during the first session of the seventh synod of the Diocese.

He directed all the clerics to use the remaining Sundays in this month and next month to educate and enlighten the members during worship on the importance of obtaining a voters card.

Udogu noted that Sunday, November 23, has been declared the day of operation show your voter card in all the churches of the Diocese and that the Diocese may consider some degree of restrictions on the defaulters of the directive.

“Online pre-registration started on August 18, 2025, and the physical registration began on August 25, 2025. The exercise will run for several months.

“As of September 28,2025, over 6.2 million Nigerians have completed their online pre-registration, with a notable surge in participation from Northern states.

“It is disheartening that while there is a remarkable surge in participation from Northern States and South West, South East States of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states, participation in the exercise is not much desired.

“Therefore, we hereby call on our members to participate in this voter registration exercise. We also direct all our clergy men to use the whole remaining Sundays in October and November to educate and enlighten our members during worship on the importance of getting a voter registration card.

“Sunday the November 23rd is hereby declared as a Sunday of operation show your voter card in all our churches. We may consider some degree of restrictions on the defaulters of this directive “, the bishop said.

He called for a complete new constitution for the country which will represent the interest and will of Nigerians. He opined that the 1999 constitution the nation was operating, has undergone some amendments and that what Nigeria needs now was a new one.

The cleric also called for the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 sovereign national conference which he argued will solve a lot of challenges facing the country.