The Ebonyi State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Comrade Ernest Nwaze, has urged citizens, particularly in the South-East, to take the ongoing voter registration exercise seriously, insisting that only those with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have a legitimate voice in choosing Nigeria’s leaders.
Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki on Wednesday, Nwaze, who also serves as the APC Zonal Chairman for Ebonyi South, emphasized that political participation begins with voter registration.
"When you don’t have your PVC, you don’t have a voice,” he said. “You can’t complain about leadership if you didn’t take part in selecting it.”
Nwaze decried the low voter registration figures in the South-East compared to other regions and warned that political influence, resource allocation, and national representation are often tied to voter strength.
“Other regions are registering in large numbers. We can’t wait until election day to start shouting ‘rigging’ when we failed to register in the first place,” he cautioned.
He also urged students, professionals, and self-employed Nigerians to get involved in the electoral process, describing voter registration as a civic duty and a form of political empowerment.
“Three kinds of people make up a society: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who do nothing. You must choose where you belong,” he added.
The IPAC Chairman expressed concern that many Igbos residing outside the South-East register in other zones, thereby diluting their home region’s political strength.
“If you register elsewhere, you’re giving numbers—and power—to other regions. It affects us politically and economically. Our people must come home to register and vote,” he said.
On the emergence of new political movements and coalitions seeking party status through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nwaze maintained that such developments do not threaten IPAC’s role as the umbrella body for all registered political parties in Nigeria.
“Once any NGO is registered as a political party, they join IPAC. We are not threatened by that. We welcome new entrants into the political space,” he explained.
He further clarified that political parties such as ADC, PDP, and ADP, scouting for new members and forming alliances, are exercising their constitutional rights.
In his final remarks, Nwaze reiterated that voter apathy would only continue to weaken the region’s political relevance.
“If you don't vote, you've indirectly voted for the wrong person. The time to act is now. Get your PVC and use it,” he said.
