By Agbo Amauche
The Executive Chairman of Abakaliki Local Government Area, Chief Stephen Ebere Nwogba, has urged residents and indigenes of the council who are 18 years and above to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in the area.
He said obtaining a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) remains the only way to reelect the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for a second term and to also vote for other credible candidates of their choice in the 2027 general elections.
Chief Nwogba made the call while interacting with journalists at the weekend in Abakaliki, the state capital.
Emphasizing the importance of the PVC, he disclosed his readiness to ensure that every eligible voter in the council is registered, adding that mobilization and sensitization campaigns would be intensified across villages and communities to guarantee massive participation.
According to him:
> “I’m urging our people to avail themselves of this opportunity by going to the INEC office in the LGA and registering for their PVCs because if you don’t have it, all your support for any candidate will end in the beer parlour.”
He further noted that the PVC is useful beyond elections:
> “Voter’s card is not only used for voting; it can also be used for opening bank accounts. It is your right to vote. Don’t disenfranchise yourself since nobody has disenfranchised you. You can’t say you are supporting a particular candidate, shouting, when you know you don’t have the prerequisite to vote.”
The council boss explained that the registration exercise targets those who were unable to register during the last general registration, persons who have just attained the voting age of 18, as well as those who need replacements or transfers of their voter cards from one polling unit to another.
> “I want to urge our people to go now and register because we have only seventy-four days before the registration ends. Let us not wait for an extension of time. The PVC is your power. If you want our Governor to go for a second tenure, if you want to vote for any candidate of your choice tomorrow, avail yourself of this opportunity now,” he stressed.
On cultural matters, Chief Nwogba also spoke about the significance of the Ojiji New Yam Festival among the Izzi people, describing yam as the “king of crops” in their heritage.
> “After children, the next is yam, and that is why it is celebrated and honored seriously. It is very significant in our clan,” he said.
He explained that the festival represents a period of sober reflection, forgiveness, togetherness, and peace, while calling for sustained unity among the people of Izzi. He further urged the younger generation to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the clan, warning against allowing it to fade into extinction.
