Go and collect your PVCs, Ohanaeze tells Igbo

• Group seeks partnership with religious/traditional leaders
The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council worldwide yesterday urged registered voters in the southeast to collect their Permanent Voters cards (PVCs).It lamented the huge number of uncollected PVCs across the southeast and other parts of the country where Igbo reside, noting that this will undermine their voting strength.

OYC National President, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, after their meetings in Abakaliki, made the call in a statement.OYC urged all the Igbo across the 36 states and Abuja to collect their PVCs to enable them vote for candidates of their choice in the the election.

“The OYC General Assembly observed that prior to 2015 elections when the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled states in the southwest, it deliberately disenfranchised Igbo by denying them access to their PVCs, even after a few Igbo had won some House of Representatives seats in Lagos.

“Governor Akinwunmi Ambode began massive demolition of markets with the Igbo losing millions of goods, which was aimed at destroying the strongholds of Igbo voters in Lagos State,” the group said. Isiguzoro disclosed that the group had mandated its 31 states chairmen, which excludes the five core southeast states to mobilise Igbo outside the southeast to collect their PVCs.

Ohanaeze also appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the deadline for the collection of PVCs till January ending to enable those who travelled, or registered in their hometowns to freely collect their cards.

The group further implored the southeast governors, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Muslim community, religious leaders, southeast town unions, and student union leaders, especially from Zone B, traditional rulers, market unions, and Biafra agitators to mobilise for the collection of thse voters cards.