BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
The leadership of Oha Izhi Nnodo under the watch of HRH Eze S.N Oketa on Saturday in Ndiechi Izhi-Inyimegu Community in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State officially declared its campaign tagged; 'Operation Show Your Permanent Voter Card (PVC)' before the 2023 general elections.
Eze Oketa said the initiative was made by Oha Izhi leadership in its commitment to discourage voter apathy in the forthcoming elections especially now the South East geopolitical region is struggling to occupy the apex seat in the country, likewise the Izhi nation clamouring for the Ebonyi state governorship position come 2023.
He noted that the initiative would be of great importance to them, to credibly elect the up coming leaders of the state and the country in general.
According to Eze Oketa, "2023 is a year, full of political activities with high expectations and Izhi people will not be left out in the processes.
"We need to prepare ourselves very well to ensure our preferred candidates emerge in all the elective positions, and we have to start that, by obtaining our Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.
"It is because, in Ebonyi, we are clamouring that Izhi man should be the next governor of the state. And in Nigeria, we the South East people want to produce the president of the country come 2023 elections.
"Based on these, Oha Izhi Nnodo has decided to embark on community to community sensitization and advocacy visit, and today, we decided to launch officially, the operation show your PVC."
He therefore, urged all the qualified voters at the age of eighteen years old and above to urgently do their voter registration and collect their PVCs before the electioneering period to avoid falling victims.
The Secretary General of Oha Izhi Nnodo, Chief John Nkwuda further explained that the exercise is taking place in the fifteen (15) registration centres in Ebonyi, including one (1) centre in each of the INEC area offices within the thirteen (13) local government areas and two (2) centres that make up the two thousand, nine hundred and forty six (2,946) polling units in the one hundred and seventy one (171) registration wards in the state.
Chief Nkwuda expressed the readiness of the leadership of Oha Izhi Nnodo in implementing its campaign on 'operation show your PVC' to ensure Izhi people massively participate in the ongoing continuous voter registration, CVR, without any further delay.
In addition, the Publicity Secretary of Oha Izhi Nnodo, Appostle Benjamin Obeji said that the grassroot campaign by the body was to step up with other key stakeholders' efforts in the ongoing CVR exercise in the state.
Appostle Obeji urged the grassroot leaders especially the traditional rulers, town union leaders, village heads, among others to join in the sensitisation to mobilise eligible voters to register in the ongoing CVR exercise.
He noted that collaboration with major stakeholders would enhance the current drive to get more indegines who were yet to register especially at the local communities to do so.
He also stated that the exercise was taken place in the 15 designated centres in Ebonyi comprising one in each of the 13 local government areas and two centres domiciled in the state headquarters, but advised all Izhi eligible voters to do the voter registration or do transfer to their respective polling units in their villages.
Still at the event, the Vice President of Oha Izhi Nnodo, Chief Boniface Ezzagu advocated for the continuous practice of all Izhi cultures which have been promoting peace and unity among themselves, declaring as abnormal, anybody encouraging kindred dicotomy in the land.
In the same vein, the Director of Protocol of Oha Izhi Nnodo, Chief Sunny B. Ekpaegu said that the body has condemned all forms of electoral violence and discouraged Izhi people especially the youths from allowing themselves to be used as tools for destruction.
He urged the youths to shun political thuggery, intake of hard drugs especially the trending methamphetamine chloride called Mkpuru-mmiri in Igbo dialect and other social vices.
Recall that the Assistant Secretary of Oha Izhi Nnodo, Prince Andrew Ekpe performed the formal presentation of Oha Izhi Nnodo Constitution for launching by the people of Ndiechi Ezzainyimegu and equally emphasized on the need for promoting love, peace, unity and progress among themselves.
Meanwhile, the community stakeholders including Chief Godwin Abiri, Ndiegu Ward Councillor - Mr Samuel Onwe, the Town Union President of the Community - Mr Joseph Nkwuda, Chief Nwiboko Ezzagu, Mrs Okwudili Umoke, the youth leader - Christopher Abiri, among others applauded the leadership of Oha Izhi Nnodo and pledged to step down the sensitization to their respective homes and villages.
