The Imo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Campaign Council has issued a stern warning to the residents of the state, cautioning them to reject what they call the ‘Operation Show Your PVC for Palliative.’ The party alleges that this initiative is a scheme by the state’s Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to forcibly seize their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Imo PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Ikenna Onuoha, expressed concerns that Uzodinma’s government is striving to gain access to the PVCs of the populace in an apparent effort to manipulate the upcoming governorship election scheduled for November 11.
The PDP has characterized this operation as a deceitful attempt to make Imo residents reveal their private identification numbers to opportunists.
The statement from the PDP reads, “Uzodinma is said to have distributed the remaining palliatives exclusively to those with Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) who are supposed to be APC members. This discriminatory approach excludes Imo citizens who belong to other political parties such as the Labour Party, APGA, SDP, NNPP, PDP, and others.”
The party went further to describe this development as not only alarming but also criminal and vindictive, asserting that it contradicts the Federal Government’s distribution guidelines. It also accused the Uzodinma administration of diverting over N2 billion from intervention funds and distributing tens of thousands of relief items to associates, neglecting the needs of Imo citizens.
Imo PDP expressed deep concern over the reputation of the state government, suggesting that while other states distribute palliatives fairly, regardless of party affiliations or PVCs, Uzodinma’s administration is employing these gifts as tools to further impoverish the people.
The statement concluded, “We advise Imo people to reject this deceptive gift, which aims to expose their private identification numbers to opportunists or trade their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) for meager offerings from Uzodinma. Imo residents must remain vigilant, as it is apparent that Uzodinma seeks access to their PVCs to manipulate the November 11 Governorship election, given his perceived loss of support.”
The Imo PDP’s strong stance against ‘Operation Show Your PVC for Palliative’ reflects the intensifying political climate in the state as the election draws nearer.