By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Anambra State Branch, has expressed concern over what it described as poor participation in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise in the South-East, warning that the trend could undermine democratic representation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group, in a statement issued in Awka on February 10, said “low participation of southeastern states” in the exercise, which began on January 5, was troubling, stressing that “when you think about politics, you think about the people.”

CLO Chairman, Evangelist Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, and Secretary, Comrade Chidi Mbah, disclosed that only 4,423 persons had registered in Anambra nearly five weeks into the exercise, urging citizens to participate actively to ensure the “enthronement of overarching benevolent servant leader” in the next electoral cycle.

The organization also renewed its call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create additional wards and polling units across the state, citing communities such as Oba, Nsugbe, Nkwelle Ezunaka, Umunya, Umuchu and Umuoji, which it said currently lack adequate electoral units and could lead to the disenfranchisement of about 800,000 citizens.

Appealing directly to INEC leadership, the group urged the Commission’s chairman, Prof. Jason Ampitan, and the Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Elizabeth Agwu, to “do the needful” by expanding access and improving voter inclusion across affected communities.

CLO further called on the National Orientation Agency (NOA), civil society organisations, religious bodies, traditional rulers and market leaders to intensify mobilisation efforts, noting that active citizen participation remains central to democratic accountability.

According to the statement, “docile followers precipitate docile leaders,” underscoring what the group described as the inevitable need for citizens to remain alive to their civic responsibilities.