Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has declared operation ‘No Permanent Voter Card (PVC), No Salaries’, to its staff across the country.
IPMAN said it is lending its voice to public clamour calling on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the registration period to enable eligible voters secure their PVC.
IPMAN National President, Chinedu Okoronkwo, gave the directive after an emergency stakeholders meeting of the association held in Abuja.
In a statement issued by Bashir Danmallam, IPMAN Chairman Kano Chapter on Friday, Okoronkwo directed IPMAN members and those working across private marketers across the country to endeavor to secure the PVC before the expiration date of issuance.
Although, the statement noted that IPMAN does not have a preferred candidate or compel members to cast their votes for a particular candidate, the union insisted that members must ensure credible and competent candidates are voted into power come 2023.
He said the association found it necessary to take the measure so as to ensure that all its eligible members obtain the PVC to enable them to exercise their civic responsibility by participating fully in the forthcoming general election in 2023.
“We are not saying our members should vote for a particular candidate or political party. But our concern is our members should obtain the PVC because without it one cannot vote,” Okoronkwo said.
“Our members should feel free to vote for any candidate of their choice whether he or she is in APC, PDP, APGA or NNPP. They have the liberty to vote for the candidate of their choice irrespective of which party he/she belongs.
“We urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the period of PVC registration to enable many of our members living in places where there is no effective network coverage to register.”
According to him, the union was ready to open offices to facilitate the registration exercise as it had given similar support to the National Identity Management Agency where it assisted the agency with computers for the issuance of National Identification number (NIN).
He called on INEC to consider the possibility of extending the deadline for the registration.
