Izhi People In Lagos Declare 'Operation Show Your PVC', Back Nwifuru,Others

By Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki The people of Izhi clan who're residents in Lagos state and its environs under the umbrella of Association of Izhi-Nnodo Clan of Nigeria(AICON) have declared 'operation show your PVC' as they vowed to bring their members home to participate fully in the upcoming general election.

This is even as they declared their support to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, gubernatorial candidate in the recent concluded primaries,Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and other governorship candidates of Izhi clan from other political parties. The group made their intentions known when their convoy arrived at Nkaliki, Abakaliki LGA Headquarters on Tuesday,7th June,2022.

While receiving the team, the Chairman Abakaliki local government area,Hon Emmanuel Nwangele applauded the leadership of AICON for the great initiative and noted that the people are free to locate their council area to register for the card. Emeka Uguru, the Special Assistant who represented the chairman hinted that voter card registration is everybody's business as that's the only way the people would choose their rightful leader in the upcoming general election. Speaking the traditional ruler representing Abakaliki LGA, His Royal Highness, Eze Simeon Azi Ewa, thanked God for the journey mercy and said the movement became imperative as to give every Izhi sons and daughters in Lagos state the right to participate and vote for who represent them at all levels of the government.

Eze Azi Ewa noted that the journey to various Council Areas for the registration would begin the next day (Wednesday) to their destinations and seek collaborations of stakeholders and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to speed up the process to enable them return back to their business areas. Also, the traditional ruler representing Ebonyi local government area, His Royal Highness, Eze Augustine Osondu Nwego(Ezeoha 1) stated that the exercise which is aimed to give every sons of the land equal rights of unity challenged Izhi people at home to forge ahead in supporting whoever that emerged as gubernatorial candidate in the state. Chief Nwego appealed to Ebonyians especially Izhi speaking people who are in diaspora to emulate the gesture by bringing their members home to register and also participate in voting massively during the election. "I am calling on our people at home to show same preparedness as we in Lagos have exhibited, even our people in Port Harcourt, Bayelsa, Cross River, Abuja, Akwaibom, Delta and various other parts of the country should copy from what Association of Izhi-Nnodo Clan in Lagos did for that's the secret Hausa people are using to rule this country by forming formidable force where they will massively bring their people home using free transportation during registration and voting. "Our political leaders who are aggressive over the things of the past should forgive and form alliance to save our land from developmental backwardness by deciding who will rule us in every positions of the government in the upcoming election. "We are calling on stakeholders from various parts of the state to support us for the speculation of Izhi man ceasing property of non indigenes in their land are work of enemies who are battling to destroy our natural character but they will fail as the spirit of hospitality of our people had no political coloration. "We are accommodative and remain so, and we are begging our brothers who are living in other Council Areas to support us just thesame way His Excellency the governor,Engr David Umahi had graciously supported us and we're grateful.

Earlier, the national president, Association of Izhi-Nnodo Clan of Nigeria, Chief Edwin Ebili, lauded the three traditional rulers of the people in Lagos state for their support to achieving the lofty dream of bringing the people home in preparedness to participate installing their leaders. He added that role of AICON to ensure peaceful and massive participation of the voting exercise cannot be overemphasized as the union would left no stone unturned to sensitize those at the hinterland to queue behind the initiative. He called on Izhi stakeholders to eschew from self interest and unite in the common goal by employing their popularity to attract support for the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. He equally enjoined the stakeholders not to relent in advancing for the registration of permanent voter card by all and sundry to give the governorship candidate landslide vote in the general election. On their parts, Comrade Nwego Clement Nwiziogo, former vice president Development Association of Ebonyi state, Lagos branch and Mr Boniface Okpete described the successful arrival of members as God's divine way to prove that ambition of Izhi man to govern Ebonyi state is sacrosanct. They dismissed the common saying that 'Izhi people are foolish majority', noting that days are gone when the people whose major occupation are farming would accept to be shortchanged in the electioneering exercise. "Our successful arrival from Lagos state to Ebonyi on the 'Operation Show Your PVC' had proven that God is behind our people to emerge as Governor of the state come 2023. "It was a hard decision pulling our successful business men and women who have no voter card home to register as to enable them participate in the upcoming general election in a way to prove those who refer us as foolish majority wrong. "Izhi man majors in farming and find it difficult to relinquish his time for government activities which are among Participating in electoral process and that has given us bad name as 'foolish majority', as such, we have come to reclaim our lost glory by bringing our people in Lagos state home to obtain their PVC and those who have already to transfer same as to vote our Izhi son as Governor of Ebonyi state come 2023. "Our power to decide who is to govern us the Izhi People is our Voter Card and we have laboured alot with support to other zones as Governor of the state, now is our turn which the present government led by Engr David Umahi had wisely made it easier for us and left for us to do our part by supporting whoever government supported to lead us. "We'll continue to bringing our people home until every Izhi man and woman living in Lagos register and also bring them to vote and we're challenging our members to ensure everyone around them also registered, hence, begging our people at home including our youth and elders to go obtain their Permanent Voter Card as to vote Izhi man as the next governor of the state in the next election". However, in his goodwill message, Barr. Simeon Nwuguru, thanked leaders of AICON for the wonderful reception and pledged continuous given their support for the interest of the clan.