By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Coalition of Ebonyi State Governorship Candidates have accused a ruling political party of alleged purchasing of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across the 13 Local government areas of the state.

The Gubernatorial flagbearers alleged that information available to them revealed that some paid agents of government in power have been deployed to different parts of the state to induce voters in order to illegally dispossess them of their (PVCs), ahead of the 2023 general elections.

In a statement jointly signed by the guber candidates, include Engr. Chukwuma Nwandugo of Action Alliance (AA); Prof. Benard Odoh of All progressive Grand Alliance (APGA); Arch. Edward Nkwegu of Labour party (LP); Prophet Adol Awam of New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP); Dr.Chukwuma Odii of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Engr. Sunday Opoke of Young Progressives Party (YPP), alleged that the illicit act which was involves cash inducement ranging from N5,000 to N10, 000 each to the prospective voters.

The guber candidates further alleged that the APC was promising beneficiaries that they would be included in subsequent State Government’s empowerment programmes, and in some cases, was copying the VIN numbers.

"For us, this is totally unacceptable as it is a punishable offence under Section 22(a)(b) and (c) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

"We condemn in very strong terms, this show of shame and undemocratic venture as it is quite ridiculous and a desperation taken too far by those seeking power at all costs.

"As evidence to our claim, a group of six persons led by a yet-to-be-identified middle aged woman were caught red-handed in the act captured in a short video clip and image footages along Nsugbe street, Abakaliki in the morning hours of Saturday, 12th November, 2022. (The photo footage and video are here attached as evidence).

“There's also video evidence where someone was caught sorting and counting a number of PVCs in his possession suspected to have been retrieved from the said political Party agents. (It is also here attached as further evidence).

"It is quite regrettable that while other political parties in the state have been thoroughly guided in their conducts and have been observing the provisions of the nation's Electoral Acts as they go about their consultations and prepare for the campaigns, some politicians in the state have continued to flout the electoral laws with impunity, all in a bid to acquire power, even if illegally and illegitimately in the state come 2023.

“Buying of Permanent Voter Cards from uninformed voters, especially in the strongholds of the opposition candidates in the State is an electoral crime.

"We hereby call on security agencies and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate this ugly development with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book, to serve as deterrence to others.

"We also alert all our numerous members, supporters, every Ebonyi voter and indeed, members of the public, not to release their Voter cards to anybody under any guise whatsoever.

"People should not allow themselves to be deceived by those who come with the promises of empowering them, to collect their voter cards or copy their Voter Identification Numbers.

"Those politicians and their party are enemies of democracy and the people. They voters should remember that the politicians perpetrating this evil are largely responsible for the woes and untold hardship which they (voters) have suffered in the past few years.”

The candidates urge the people of the state to resist the temptation of selling their voter cards as doing so amounts to denying themselves the opportunity to vote during the 2023 general elections.