By CHARLES IWUOHA

Thousands of Enugu youths on Tuesday took to the streets to protest what they described as deliberate attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disenfranchise them from voting in the 2023 general elections.

The youths, who have been trooping out to the various registration points in Enugu, marched to the INEC office to demand for more machines to fast-track registration.

“There have been calls for us to come out and register and get our Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC) but our efforts to get these cards are being frustrated,” one of the protesting youths said.

“When we started coming to this place to register, they come with 10 machines and after some time, it reduced to 7, to 5 and today, it’s just one serving thousands of people here. We want INEC to increase the number of machines.

“When we got to their office, they said that the machines available were distributed according to the number of local government areas in Enugu State.

“INEC said they only have 5 machines in their office and we pleaded with them to give us 3 of the machines, they refused to but promised to increase the number by tomorrow,” the youth said.

Another angry youth, Maria Adekunle, said: “This is a plot to deny them the opportunity to vote as the registration is going on smoothly in other states and very soon, the electoral umpire will tell them that registration has ended.”

Ezeaputa Ike, a lawyer, who addressed the press, said that “INEC can do better as the process is easier in other states unlike what’s happening here.”

Chanting “PVC is our right!” “Give us our right”, the angry youths expressed their dissatisfaction but conducted themselves peacefully. After they were addressed by an INEC official, they went back to Okpara Square to continue to try to get registered so as to vote in 2023 election.

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