The Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has charged political leaders in Emohua Local Government Area to galvanise their people towards increased participation in the ongoing continuous voters registration exercise.
This is even as the GDI took the ongoing sensitisation rally for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration (PVC) exercise to Etche and Ahoada East local government areas, at the weekend, with a charge the members of the GDI to ensure that every eligible voter in all the communities get their PVCs ahead of the 2023 elections.
Fubara gave the charge while addressing members of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), yesterday, 2022 during the PVC sentisisation programme at St Paul’s State School Field, Emohua, headquarters of the local government area.
He said though Emohua already has high level of political awareness and population, there was still the need to tell them about the importance of the Permanent Voters’ Cards.
“The reason why we are doing this sensitization programme is not that we are not aware that you are conscious of the use of PVC but we want you to prepare yourself well because election that we are going into is not election of thugery”.
He explained that Emohua had been a battle ground during elections, therefore to ensure that such incident doesn’t occur again, there must be increased PVC registration and collection to guarantee outright win.
Fubara also expressed confidence that the incident that took place in 2019 during the Governorship election in the state would not repeat itself in 2023 because the army would not be allowed to interfer in the electoral process.
“They did something because they carried arms. We are not talking about the army anymore, we are talking about human beings that will come out to vote. Let us not assume that we have the number. Let us assume that we dont have the number so that we can improve on the number we have”.
While noting that the local government area was important to Governor Nyesom Wike, the PDP standard bearer equally said the LGA was important to the state because of the array of great politicians in the area.
He congratulated the people of Emohua, especially GDI for the massive work done in mobilising the people for the programme, and commended them for the level of cooperation and unity among them, urging to not to relent.
In his speech, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Amb Desmond Akawor, commended the extensive work done by GDI to achieve such a wonderful level of mobilisation, describing the organisation as a “vehicular transmitter for effective mobilisation and sensitisation”.
Akawor, who was represented by the Secretary of the party, Dr Benibo George, told them that the PVC is the only power they have to choose who rules them.
He congratulated leaders of the area for the high level of political awareness and their affirmation that the people have been adequately sensitised.
Also speaking, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Emeke Woke, appealed to those who have not registered or have registered but have not picked the voters cards to do so, explaining that it is only the PVC that would be used during next year’s election.
“So, those of you who have registered are not yet privileged to pick up your PVC, please do because the INEC Electoral guidelines for this election will not recognise manual accreditation. Accreditation is by BIVAS and the BIVAS you need to have a PVC that will match your face so there is no point saying I registered but I have not picked my PVC”.
He, therefore, called for the engagement of chiefs, elders, CDCs and youth leaders in educating their people on PVC registration and collection, adding that the number of registered voter for any community woild be the “empirical basis” for determining the population of the people in that community.
High points of the sensitisation programme were solidarity speeches from political leaders in the area as well as gyration by the 14 wards in the local government area.
Political heavyweights from within and outside the LGA, including the PDP Deputy Governorship candidate, Prof Mrs Ngozi Ordu, local government chairmen, former commissioners and special advisers, members of the National and State Assembly, as well as aspirants, captains of industry and heads of tertiary education institutions, PDP State Executive Council, women, youth and student groups attended the event.
Similarly, the GDI also took the ongoing sensitisation rally for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration (PVC) exercise to Etche and Ahoada East local government areas, at the weekend, with a charge the members of the GDI to ensure that every eligible voter in all the communities get their PVCs ahead of the 2023 elections.
The Gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, who gave the charge, also described GDI as a PDP workshop which must have requisite tools to function properly.
The event was well attended by hundreds of supporters and other party faithful who thronged St. Paul’s State School Field, Ahoada Town in Ahoada East Local Government Area, venue of the rally, singing victory songs.
Speaking at the rally, which held, last Saturday, Fubara maintained that the only tool needed by GDI to work was the PVC.
He, therefore, urged eligible voters who have not registered to participate actively in the electoral process to go to the nearest registration centre to do so.
The PDP standard bearer, who described the PVC sensitisation rally as a very important programme for the forthcoming election, insisted that the PVC would enable the electorate in Ahoads East to make their statement during elections.
“We won’t make our mark in this local government area, if we don’t have our PVCs. If we really have the interest of PDP’s working tool, which is the GDI, then, you need to have your PVC”.
He disclosed that the mere mention of his name was already making most people in the opposition jittery, saying that this was a clear sign of victory for him.
“We will win because each time you mention incoming, people get scared because I am the incoming, and I will win”, Fubara said.
He also advised GDI members not to bring their original PVCs to the rally, saying that it was possible for such cards to get lost in the process, adding that such a situation could be a great loss to the GDI.
“You can make photocopy and come with the photocopy. Each PVC that is here is a vote for us. Let’s not start loosing our votes while sensitising people. Your PVC is your voice, your PVC is your vote, your PVC is your power.
“What we are doing is to let you know the importance of the PVC. It is not just a jamboree. It is to tell you to go back to your unit, go back to your ward, and encourage people that have not registered to register now that the window is still open”.
Fubara further urged members of the party in Ahoada East to extend the campaign for the PVC registration in their various wards and units, encouraging them to take the PVC sensitisation of the GDI seriously.
According to him, the sensitisation rally is important for those who have the interest of the party and GDI at heart.
He assured the people that he would continue to partner with GDI to ensure that the party is re-elected in the forthcoming 2023 election.
Fubara, who expressed joy over the warmth reception, urged teeming party faithful to continue in their support for the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, towards achieving a better Rivers State.
He added that his candidature and the re-election of the PDP would consolidate on the achievements of the governor who has invested so much in transforming the state through his urban renewal programmes and policies.
Also speaking, President General of the GDI, Bright Amaewhule, recognised the efforts of the Ahoada East Council chairman towards improving the infrastructure landscape of the area.
He also acknowledged the contributions of leaders and members of the party in the area towards ensuring the successful hosting of the programme.
Amaewhule, however, charged the electorate not to feel threatened by the presence of any security outfit in the course of the sensitisation exercise, urging them to stand firm, secure and defend their votes in order to elect credible candidates in 2023.
On his part, Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Barrister Ben Eke, said his administration has made the production of the PVC a condition for bursary payment to students of the area.
Eke advised those who are yet to register for their PVCs to take advantage of the last days of the registration exercise to obtain their voters card.
However, it was like a carnival as hundreds of GDI members and supporters trooped out in their numbers for the INEC Continuous Voters Cards sensitisation programme which took place at Etche, last Friday.
The occasion, attended by the cream of Rivers personalities and political stakeholders across Etche and other local governments, featured what could best be described as a show of force as each ward came out in their numbers, dancing and gyrating round the Okomoko School Field, venue of the sensitisation programme.
The programme was preceded by solidarity messages by Etche political stakeholders.
Speakers at the event included, President General of GDI, Chief Bright Amaewhule; Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Amb Desmond Akawor, who attended the event in the capacity of Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC) chairman as well as the Governorship candidate of the PDP, Siminialayi Fubara, who was represented by the Deputy Governorship candidate, Prof Ngozi Ordu.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, Prof Ngozi Ordu, lauded the people of Etche for the large turn-out, and also praised GDI for the great work they were doing in educating and sensitising the people for the continuous voter registration exercise.
Ordu, who described the PVC as the only potent instrument that can give eligible voters the voice to choose their leaders, urged them to register and obtain their PVC, and also use it wisely during the 2023 elections.
She urged GDI members to use the few days remaining for the PVC registration exercise to mobilise their people to register and obtain their voters’ cards to enable them participate in the 2023 general election.
On his part, the state PDP Chairman, Amb Desmond Akawor, who described the crowd at the Etche programme as an example of “the Wild Fire ravaging the entire Europe”, said Etche people have shown capacity to deliver victory to PDP.
He thanked GDI president-general and members of the organisation for the way they have been charging Rivers people to come out to register and obtain their Permanent Voters’ Cards, urging them to sustain the campaign.
Many others who delivered solidarity messages also underscored the importance of the permanent voters’ cards.
The events, attended by people from different walks of life, includingthe party’sstate Secretary, Dr Benibo George; members of the state executive of the party, members of the national and state assembly, local government chairmen, former commissioners, women, youths and students groups was massively attended.
Some of the local government chairmen include that of Obio/Akpor, Barrister George Ariolu; his Port Harcourt City counterpart and Chairman of Rivers State ALGON, Sir Allwell Ihunda; Ikwerre, Engr Samuel Nwanosike; Etche, Hon Obinna Anyanwu, Akuku-Toru, Hon Rowland Sekibo, amongst others.
Others who attended the events include, Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Edison Ehie; and Deputy Chief Whip, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Major Jack.
Similarly, the Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Hon. Rowland Sekibo has charged GDI members and stakeholders in the area to be in the vanguard of sensitising AKULGANS on the importance of the ongoing Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) PVC registration exercise.
He said this when the AKULGA PVC sensitisation and mobilisation committee led by the visited Ward 17, which comprises Elem Sangama, Abissa, Soku and Idama communities, situated along the Sombreiro River.
They also toured Ward 13 in Briggs Compound, Abonnema and Ward 14 in Obonoma community.
He said that the central theme of the visit was to galvanise and sensitise eligible and indifferent voters on the necessity of registering for their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC).
Sekibo further said that the visit was also to encourage those with issues regarding their PVCs to take advantage of the existing window of opportunity before this weekend’s deadline for the conclusion of the exercise.
The occasion was also used to welcome back former party members in Ward 13 who previously decamped to the APC.
Accompanying the LGA chairman were, Vice Chairman Akuku-Toru, Mrs. Caroline West; Chairman, Rivers State Task Force on Waste Management and Disposal, who is also the Chairman, AKULGA PVC Sensitisation and Mobilisation Committee, Hon. Isobo Jack; Chairman, PDP, AKULGA, Hon. Emmanuel Stephen;a former minority leader and member, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Benibo Anabraba; Barrister Ibim Dokubo, Ven. Vincent Dokubo, and Councillor Ward I3 AKULGA, Hon Omona Oliver; amongst other party stalwarts.

By: Nelson Chukwudi