Briefing the press at the end of the meeting, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Igbonekwu Ogazimorah, reminded the people that the voters registration exercise was a serious business.

According to him, it is only those who register and have their voters card who would be allowed to vote during the elections.

"If you do not register, you will not vote", the Commissioner said.

The council, he said, thus advised the people to ensure that they registered as soon as the exercise starts for proper documentation, urging them not to wait for the last day which may be rowdy and disorderly.

Mr. Ogazimorah also reminded the people of the need for them to register at the centers nearer to their places of residence since it would be more convenient for them on election days.

The commissioner disclosed that the council also took a very critical look at the performance of officials of the local government development centers and reminded them that they were created to help bring government nearer to the people, especially in the rural areas.

He said that the council received reports that some Development Centers were not living up to expectations, especially in areas of service delivery and therefore warned that it might be forced to review that constitution of those centers if they failed to improve.

For example, according to the commissioner, the council received reports that some Development Centres had failed to meet up with their obligations to members of the NYSC and Civil Defence Corps posted to their areas.

In addition, he said, some of them had failed in the exercise of mass mobilization of their people towards the execution of rural development projects, maintenance and protection of government social amenities provided to better the living condition of their people, maintenance of internal security and carrying along their traditional rulers.

The council, therefore, he said, reminded them that in this era of globalization, it was their responsibility to carry along all the stakeholders in rural development in their areas, so that the people would be part of the administration.

"They have to take care of corps members, the civil defence corps members, pay special attention to government facilities provided for the people and do more in the area of security of lives and property in their development centers," the Commissioner said.