Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called for the implementation of “No Permanent Voters Card, No Community Rights” policy in Igbo communities.
The spokesman of Ohanaeze, Alex Ogbonnia, gave the advice in a statement he made available to journalists.
To this end, he requested the Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU) led by Chief Emeka Diwe to deploy their grassroots prowess to implement a policy of “No PVC, No Community Rights” in all the Igbo communities across the entire Igboland.
He stressed that no genuine Igbo should allow local, private or selfish interests to override the Igbo collective interests, adding that every Igbo should therefore realise that the PVC and voting on the election day are sine qua non to the actualisation of the Igbo collective desideratum for 2023.
Ogbonnia commended Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State for declaring a two-day public holiday to compel all the public servants in the state to obtain their permanent voters’ cards (PVC) and called on governors to emulate Umahi.
The body , however, expressed concern that despite extension of the collection of PVC till Sunday, January 29, 2023, there were thousands of permanent voters’ cards that are yet to be collected by their rightful owners.
“While the modern campaigns cannot be delinked with the Internet, in what some call technological determinism: that is, the thinking in some quarters that the Internet drive the historical, economic, political and cultural changes, in reality, it is the voting behaviour of the group that determines electoral outcome at the polls. In other words, while dribbling the opponent in a football match is key, it is the number of goals scored that will ultimately count.
“It is therefore very strange that an Igbo of whatever class or creed will be reminded of the need to vote in the forthcoming general elections.
“While commending Governor Umahi for his pragmatic sensitization of the Ebonyi populace towards the forthcoming elections, Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on all the governors of Ohanaeze states to apply the Ebonyi paradigm in their respective jurisdictions,” he stated.
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