Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to take the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) seriously, stressing that the PVC remains the most powerful instrument for building a new Nigeria.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Monday, Obi underscored the significance of the PVC, which he described as “the voice of the voiceless, the shield of the weak, and the weapon of the poor against injustice and bad leadership.”
“The future of our dear nation is in your hands. The greatest strength of democracy is in the voter’s card,” he declared, urging citizens to organise themselves to make election rigging more difficult.
Obi also cautioned against vote trading, noting that politicians who buy votes do so only to gain access to public resources for looting.
“Those who buy votes are not offering you charity; they only invest in their own corruption. Such people are not leaders, they are criminals in disguise,” he said.
He further warned that voters who sell their mandates effectively mortgage their future, denying themselves and their children quality education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
“The power to change this country is in your hands. The looters will only loot when we give them the opportunity. Your vote counts—if it doesn’t, they wouldn’t be desperately buying it,” Obi added.
The former Anambra State governor urged Nigerians to support leaders with competence, character, capacity, and compassion, insisting that citizens must resist intimidation or deception during elections.
“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. Let us stand together and prove that Nigeria belongs to the people, not to those who trade our future for selfish gain,” he said.
Obi reiterated his belief that a “New Nigeria is possible” if citizens accept responsibility for driving the change they seek.
