Governors of the South-Eastern States have been urged to declare public holidays to enable residents collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The call was made by apex sociopolitical Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement made available to journalists by the Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro.
He said stringent strategies should be put in place to compel Igbos to collect their PVCs within the stipulated time ahead of the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
“The South-East Governors should arrange mobilisation strategies and awareness campaigns through party leaders at the ward levels and elected or appointed councillors before the expiration date of 29th January, 2023.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges the South-East Governors to put up strict regulations in place to ensure that all Igbo parents must present their PVCs before registering their children in schools and all workers should not earn their salaries without showing their PVCs.
“We call on State Governors to declare work-free days and public holidays for civil and public servants to go and collect their PVCs,” Ohanaeze Ndigbo said.
The group added that traders must also be made to show their PVCs before gaining access to markets.
“Ndigbo should not allow this opportunity to pass by without doing the needful.
“This is a wake-up call to all eligible Igbo voters across the country to rise and pick up their PVCs wherever they are.
“We are collaborating with the Governors to make sure that uncollected PVCs get to the owners before the elections and we are ready to take extra measures through special arrangements to ensure that PVCs are shared to all eligible voters across the 95 LGAs of the South-East,” it added.