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The South East Governors have been called upon to declare two days of public holidays in the zone to allow their citizens to collect Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The Human Rights Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’Foundation (HURIDE) and Campaign for Democracy (CD) in a joint statement said that the February 25 and March 11, 2023 elections are very critical and that every citizen should not only be encouraged but cajoled to participate in.
In the statement signed by Dede Uzor A Uzor who is both Executive Director, HURIDE and Chairman of CD in South East zone, the rights groups said given the non-challenge attitude of the people in this part of the country, especially Traders, there is a compelling need for the intervention of various State Governments in the South East to persuade people to collect their PVCs.
The groups said each governor of the zone should declare work free day for two days for workers of all categories in his state which will also include the closure of markets for the people to use the period to collect their PVCs.
They said if our people are not pushed to collect their PVCs which would allow them to exercise their franchise in this election, they may not on their own go out to do that.
The rights groups said some other states in the country and even organisations have declared public holidays and shut down their markets to allow them to collect their PVCs, urging the South East Governors to also join suit for the interest of their people.
They said the coming election is so important that every effort should be made to encourage all Nigerians, especially people from the zone to participate.
“This is our unique opportunity. Nobody should be allowed for one reason or the other denies himself/herself the opportunity to vote. And nobody can vote without PVC. That is why all hands must be on deck to ensure that all of us participated in the election” said Dede Uzor.
