By Mary Onyia
In the wake of weekend by-elections where the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) clinched most of the contested seats, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has issued a passionate call to Nigerians to register and secure their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the PVC remains the most powerful weapon against bad leadership, electoral fraud, and vote buying.
Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to take charge of their future by registering and collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). In a statement titled “PVC is the Bridge to a New Nigeria” released on Monday, Obi described the voter’s card as “the voice of the voiceless, the shield of the weak, and the weapon of the poor for a better life, against injustice and bad leadership.”
He cautioned against the rampant practice of vote-selling, stressing that politicians who buy votes are not offering help but “investing in corruption.” According to him, “They buy votes so that they can buy their way into our treasury to steal public money. When they get into that office, they will loot the funds that should have been used to build schools, hospitals or provide good jobs. Such people are not leaders, they are criminals in disguise.”
Obi further warned Nigerians not to mortgage their future for short-term gain, stressing that selling votes is equivalent to selling opportunities for a better life. “To those who sell their votes, you are not just selling an election, you are selling the very opportunities that would have lifted you and your family out of poverty. You are selling the schools that your children should have attended, the hospitals that should save your loved ones and the jobs that would have given you dignity and a better life,” he declared.
Reaffirming his faith in the power of the people, Obi urged every eligible Nigerian to see the ballot as their tool for national redemption. “Our democracy is at stake. That is why I urge every eligible Nigerian to register, collect, and safeguard your PVC, and when the time comes, use it wisely. Vote for leaders of competence, character, capacity, and compassion. Do not be intimidated, do not be deceived, and do not be bought,” he said, stressing that true power rests with the people and not with corrupt politicians.
With additional report from the Vanguard