The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory has called on Nigerians to fully engage in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement on Wednesday, the Chairman of Northern CAN, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, emphasized that voter registration is the essential first step for citizens who wish to influence governance and ensure their voices are heard.
He urged Nigerians to overcome doubts about the value of their votes, stressing that political apathy only strengthens politicians who benefit from low voter turnout.
“Our votes matter. If they were irrelevant, no one would attempt to buy them. Nigerians must realize that true power lies in the ballot, not in the money distributed during elections,” Rev. Hayab stated.
The cleric further appealed to religious leaders of all faiths to increase sensitisation within congregations and local communities. According to him, faith-based institutions remain powerful platforms for mobilising the masses towards national participation.
He also urged INEC to make registration centres more accessible, particularly in rural and remote areas, in order to ease the process for citizens seeking to register.
INEC has disclosed that the online pre-registration portal opened on August 18, 2025, while physical registration began on August 25, 2025. The exercise will continue until August 30, 2026, across the Commission’s 811 state and local government offices nationwide.
Within the first week of the exercise, more than 1.3 million Nigerians had completed their online pre-registration, with youths between the ages of 18 and 34 making up the majority.
The electoral body also reminded the public that the CVR covers fresh registrations, transfer of polling locations, and replacement of lost or damaged voter cards, while cautioning that multiple registrations are prohibited.
Rev. Hayab particularly encouraged women and young people to seize the opportunity with patriotism and commitment.
Northern CAN reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with churches, civil society organisations, and community leaders to ensure that no eligible citizen is excluded from the registration process.