TheCable

MultiChoice Nigeria, says it will fully support the nationwide campaign by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the collection of the permanent voters’ card (PVC).

MultiChoice Nigeria, the subsidiary of MultiChoice Africa, owner of DStv and GOtv, said this in a statement on Monday.

The PVC is a measure to improve the credibility of the electoral process through identity theft elimination and is a prerequisite for participation in the coming general elections.

The elections are expected to kick off on February 25, 2023, with the presidential and national assembly elections, while that of the governorship and states houses of assembly elections will hold on March 11.

MultiChoice Nigeria said it aims to support the collection of PVC “in the shape of regular and free broadcast of INEC’s messages on PVC collection by registered eligible voters on channels on its DStv and GOtv platforms.”

According to the company, the broadcast will (in particular) be targeted at youth, the country’s biggest voting demographic category, through DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 29, as that the two channels are dedicated to the round-the-clock broadcast of BB Titans — the new edition of the Big Brother Nigeria reality TV show.

Speaking on its decision to support INEC’s PVC collection drive, John Ugbe, chief executive officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, said the company is committed to country’s democratic development, especially the credibility of electoral processes and procedures.

This, Ugbe said, can only be accelerated through mass participation, especially by the youth, and begins with the possession of valid means of voting, which is the PVC.

“As a Nigerian company, we are invested in the country’s democratic advancement through mass participation and high-fidelity electoral procedures and process, the reason we are backing INEC’s PVC collection drive,” he said.

“Our support, in particular, is aimed at getting Nigerians to participate in the elections and this begins with the possession of a PVC, which is the sole eligibility criterion.”