Governors of the South East Geopolitics zone has been called upon to join hands with stakeholders in the region and embark on massive mobilization of adults who are 18 years and above to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
The Union made the call in a communique issued at the end of it’s maiden Monthly Congress for the year 2022, held in Umuahia and signed jointly signed by the state Chairman, Victor Ndukwe and Secretary, Adaeze Ralph Igbokwe.
Recall that reports from the Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC) show that the South East zone has the least enrolment figure of a paltry 300, 000 since the exercise began, whereas other zones are registering in millions.
The Communique emphasized that Ndigbo should realise that voter strength is the basis for grabbing political power, asserting political influence and reaping democracy dividends.
The NUJ Abia State Chapter, noted that It behoves on the South East to embrace the INEC Continuous Voter Registration and register in their millions and obtain their PVCs, if it wants to make good, it’s ambition of producing the next Nigerian President come 2023.
The Union noted with great concern, the widely reported lack of interest by the youths of South East in the ongoing Police recruitment exercise; as well as recruitments into other security agencies in the country.
It urged all stakeholders, especially Traditional Rulers, Local Government Chairmen, political leaders and Community leaders to mobilize their youths to see the need to get interested and enroll in the on going recruitment exercise into both the Nigerian Army and Police to fill the quota of the states, and by extension, the zone.
The Union equally implored the South East Governors Forum and South East Caucuses in the National Assembly to carry out a critical but detailed investigation to unravel the reasons behind the stagnation of personnel of South East extraction serving in the various security agencies, with particular reference to the Army and Police, stagnated at the lower cadre and are denied the opportunity of reaching the top echelons of their career.
Part of the Communique reads; Congress calls on the authorities to urgently look into the issue of properly and adequately integrating all sections of the country, especially the South East, into the nation’s Security Council as a way to further give the zone a sense of belonging and encouraging them to actively take part in the recruitment exercise of the various agencies.
“That Congress bemoans the high rate of hard drugs consumption among the youths, especially methamphetamine (a.k.a Mkpurummiri). Congress expresses worry over the alleged inaction of security agencies even when a rendezvous in Umuahia allegedly being used by consumers of this destructive drug has been reported to them.
“Congress urges Government,Community leaders and Security agencies to rise to the occasion and urgently address the situation before it gets out of hand”.
