Nigeria’s ruling Party, the All Progressives Congress, APC has commenced mobilisation at the grassroots for increased Permanent Voters Cards, PVC registration and collection in Cross River State.
The Chairman of the Cross River State chapter of the APC, Mr. Alphonsus Eba, who made the disclosure during a press conference in Calabar said that the party decided to take its PVC registration and collection drive to those at the polling unit level.
Eba described the current rate of registration and collection of PVCs in Cross River State by the Independent National Electoral Commission as an unsatisfactory situation, which has necessitated the mobilisation for increased grassroots registration and collection.
Utilizing Established Platform
According to the APC State chairman, the mobilisation would be at the 3,281 polling unit level, where party members, through the use of its established ‘political evangelism’ platform, have been directed to take the PVC message from door-to-door.
He stated, “the second phase of our political evangelism will take place in the entire 3,281 polling units of Cross River State. In consonance with the various Articles of our constitution, particularly Articles 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, we had brought on board the polling unit structure comprising the women wing, youth wing and people living with disabilities.
“This is to consolidate our grassroots presence in our various polling units and the charge is that we must move from door-to-door not only winning souls into our party, but also enlightenment campaigns to enable the people including those who are apolitical to please get their PVCs.
“With the BVAS technology, there is now value for every voter. Politicians will come and look for voters, but they need to know that the power they have to negotiate who will represent them and the kind of developmental impact that would be made in their locality would be dependent on them possessing the Permanent Voters Cards,” he stressed.
The APC State chairman further stated that all arrangements have been concluded to ensure party stakeholders go to the field for the door-to-door campaign, which would also afford them the opportunity to propagate the message of peace, love and unity for the growth of Cross River.
Clear PVC Message
Responding to some questions from newsmen at the conference on the reasons for the campaigns, the chairman insisted that, “the essence of this is to make the message very clear: go and get your PVCs nothing more, campaigns have not started. People think the extension by INEC is indefinite and may decide not to take it serious anymore. We need the people to take it serious.
“The figures for Cross River State are appalling. So, we moved in our usual manner as a pressure group and political party, we influenced the provision of additional 23 machines that came from INEC’s headquarters in Abuja to Cross River. Therefore, the understanding is that as a government, we will give support to enable more people register.
“As a political party, we have charged all political leaders in the entire 196 wards to give steady support so that the people can register and collect their PVCs. The party leadership, commissioners, special advisers and other stakeholders have been rendering support so that our voters would not be extorted,” he further stated.
He added that in the course of the PVC registration campaigns, the party would take time out to receive thousands of people, who have decamped from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogoja local government area.
Confidence Okwuchi
