Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has called on eligible Igbo citizens across Nigeria to participate in the ongoing voter registration and obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs). The appeal was made by the group's National Publicity Secretary, Dr Ezechi Chukwu, in a statement issued on Saturday in Enugu. He described voter registration as a fundamental civic responsibility and a constitutional right of every Nigerian.
Chukwu emphasized that democracy draws strength from active citizen involvement in the electoral process. He urged Igbo sons and daughters—including youth, women, professionals, traders, students, and community leaders—not to show indifference to the exercise. Those eligible should register and secure their PVCs ahead of future elections, he said.
Political inclusion, equity, justice, and fair representation can only improve through active participation, according to Chukwu. He stressed the need for Ndigbo to play a visible and strategic role in shaping Nigeria's political future. Ohanaeze, under President-General Senator John Mbata, remains committed to peace, unity, good governance, justice, and equity, he added.
The group also reaffirmed its dedication to protecting the political and socio-economic interests of Ndigbo within a united and progressive Nigeria. Chukwu appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the registration process is transparent, accessible, and free from discrimination or unnecessary bottlenecks nationwide.
Ohanaeze calls for mass voter registration while its leader Senator John Mbata serves in a government whose policies many Igbos say marginalize them. The appeal to youth and traders to register stands in contrast to the group's limited success in translating voter mobilization into political gains for Igbos in recent elections. If Ndigbo's political future is to be shaped by participation, the burden falls not just on new registrants but on existing leaders to show how votes have delivered tangible change. Without evidence that voting has improved equity or representation, enthusiasm may remain low despite the call.
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