Concerned Imo Indigenes made up of residents of the state on Tuesday took to the streets of Owerri in protest against the state government’s registration of the Imo State Social Benefit Number.
Leading the protesters to the major entrance of Imo State Government House Owerri, Comrade Uchechukwu Okoronkwo, stated some of their grievances which include the alleged collection of details of Permanent Voters Cards PVC from residents before they could be registered.
The people also alleged that the PVC numbers would be used to rig November 2023 Imo governorship election.
He said: “We are here to peacefully demonstrate against the attempt by Governor Hope Uzodinma’s government to scuttle and truncate the November 11, governorship poll in the state. We decided to let the world know that Imo people will resist any plot by whosoever carries out such nefarious activities.”
They said that they are aware that Uzodinma and his agents are gradually perfecting this plot to perpetuate the heinous act through what they tagged, “Imo State Social Benefit Number” to the people.
He added that their conviction belief that the APC-led Imo state government is working towards rigging the November election is the unwholesome invitation of Imo people to gather at polling centres in the state with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC).
Okoronkwo pointed out that the government is making the rigging strategy appear so legitimate by ridiculously telling some gullible Imo citizens that the government is organizing an empowerment scheme which can only be accessed with Permanent Voters Card (PVC), National Identification Number (NIN), and Bank Verification Number (BVN).
He said that Uzodinma and his agents are telling people that the Social Benefit Number will offer them a renewed life and raise them from poverty, penury, and lack.
With this white lie according to the many people in the state rushed and submitted their PVCs thereby becoming victims of voter identity theft aimed at cloning their PVCs and pre-or-front-loading of the BVAS with fake votes ahead of the November Governorship election in the State.
Reacting, the Special Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Student Affairs, Franklyn Oparaji, said that “PVS is not being collected but just a means of identification.
He said that this exercise will guarantee the security of the Imo people and the welfare of the Imo people.
He said: “How can we identify you as an Imo people when you don’t have an identity number? So, the government means well for the people.”
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