APPARENTLY disturbed by the low turn out of people seeking Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC), Ndigbo under the auspices of “Igbo Patriots” on Tuesday, called on eligible voters in the Southeast geopolitical zone to obtain their PVC from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) so as to discharge their civic responsibilities and elect credible leaders in 2019 general elections.
Addressing a press conference at Filbon Hotel in Enugu, the Coordinator of the Igbo group, Obumneke Okafor, noted, “PVC is the only legitimate weapon through which you can participate and influence the electoral process by electing true representatives who will be in sync with yearnings and aspirations as a people and see it as a bounding duty to through legislative and executive interventions be on the same page with us.”
Okafor who was flanked by his Secretary, Arthur Nwankwo, and five others, said, “Ndigbo should take time away from their shops, markets and offices, avail themselves of the opportunity and get registered and collect their PVC. It is your civic right to vote and be voted for. Do not sell your vote because your vote is your power. And ensure that you vote on all the elections and insist that votes are transparently counted, recorded and announced.”
On grazing law, the Igbo Activist urged the Legislative Houses in the Igbo land to enact an anti-grazing law to stem further frictions between the herdsmen and their host communities in Igbo land.
The statement reads in parts:
“The Igbo Patriots appeal to all men and women of goodwill of Igbo extraction in all arms of government and authority to heed the clarion call, lend their voice, influence, connections and powers defacto and dejure in this struggle against internal neo-colonialism and subjugation.
“We of Igbo Patriots totally and comprehensively reject the grazing bill and cattle colony and whatever they represent. We are not oblivious to the fact that it is members of the ruling elite that own the cattle and encourage herdsmen terror.
“We, therefore, urge President Muhammadu Buhari to de-escalate the tension in the land by being more sensitive, just, considerate, humane and patriarchal in dealing with the affairs of the nation taking into cognizance ethnic, cultural and religious diversities of Nigerians.
“The government should look for more creative, tension free and less arrogant way of handling critical national issues for peace, Concord, growth, development and good neighbourliness.
“The recent and trending determination by the Federal Authority to muscle the National Assembly to legislate obnoxious grazing and cattle colony bill raises cause for worry. Having carefully considered the short and long-run implications of this move and the seeming acquiescence of some of our elected leaders, we view as reprehensible and unacceptable any attempt to cede any part and parcel of land in Igbo land.
“Most perplexing is that this demand by the Federal Government is coming in the heels of the horrendous actions and atrocities by these herdsmen that have led to the unconscionable destruction of food and cash crops and loss of precious lives of Igbo and other Nigerians.
“We dare make bold to state unequivocally and without any fear of contradiction that we won’t yield an inch of land to satisfy the private business interest of Miyetti Allah cattle breeders and their hegemonic patrons”, the group added.