Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi, Mr Eze Nwachukwu , on Saturday cautioned voters against selling their cards or exchanging them for employment.
Speaking in Isiaka while inaugurating an 8-man Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) mobilisation committee for Ivo local government area of the state, the chairman said he had received reports of some people luring voters to part with their cards.
“We hear that some people are going round, allegedly collecting Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) from unsuspecting owners, in exchange for employment in the state civil service, or to give them government sponsored empowerment.
“Please do not exchange, sell or give out PVC for any reason because that is the only power and right available to you as a citizen, to freely participate in choosing your leaders.
“Selling and buying of voter cards is a crime; if you give up your PVC; you have surrendered the power, right and privileges conferred on you by the constitution to exercise your franchise,’’ Nwachukwu said.
He urge the people to report anybody that indulged in the act of collecting, buying, selling or hoarding the voter cards, to the police.
He also called on members of the committee to communicate with the leadership of the party in all the wards to ensure that members were mobilised to register and collect their cards.
“We want make sure that no one is left unregistered, hence the mandate of this committee is to move round the wards, communities and villages in the council and mobilise people to register for their PVC.
“You are to report to the state secretariat on daily basis, the number of registered voters per polling booth, as well as number of voters registered at the ward level.
“You should report to us any action that will undermine effective registration of prospective voters in any part of the Council, for prompt action.
“We are very passionate about the success of the exercise because our victory in 2019 elections is tied to number of registered voters who are our members,” Nwachukwu said. (NAN)