2023: Arm yourselves with PVCs to vote for credible leaders in Ebonyi says  Iduma Igariwey Enwo

.Call on Umahi government to ensure a good level playing group for all candidates

Hon (Chief) Iduma Igariwey Enwo, is the Federal Lawmaker representing Afikpo North and South Constituency in the House of Representative and Vice Chairman Committee on Appropriation.In this  interview with our Correspondent Clement Nnachi, he bares his mind on wide range of issues….Excerpts

Ahead of preparations for the 2023 general elections, there has been reports of intimidation and suppression of opposition parties by the ruling government in power. What is your take on this?

It is a very sorry situation, an unsavoury development, it is most undemocratic where you don’t allow space for people to exercise their choice.

Every government gets into office through a process, Ebonyi State should not be a different situation.

So, in the coming days we would join hands, encourage the State Government to allow Oxygen into the democratic space.

People should be allowed to campaign in public places, be allowed to  put their Posters, Banners in places of their choice.

The Christmas Party I organized for my constituents  was done in my private place,  because of a patently unconstitutional, so called State Executive Order, that makes it impossible for people like me and other people who are not in APC to exercise themselves, project their manifested, reach out to people from a Public Platform.

That is how the present government in Ebonyi State  came into being. Why won’t the present government in Ebonyi State allow some other persons to emerge. At the end of the day, power belongs to the electorate and God. When agents of government go after people posters and banners I Laugh, because this are not the things that will get you votes,

What will get me votes is what I pound my chest and acclaim that I have done well. I have built roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, across Afikpo and Edda clan.

Even if I don’t put one poster/banner till election day, people will still speak resoundingly in accordance with their minds/ beliefs in what is good. We encourage the government of Ebonyi State to allow people to campaign, stop unnecessary intimidation.

What in  your opinion should the security agencies (police) do in this circumstance ?

The Police should discharge it’s responsibilities and not allow non-state actors to take over their  functions. When you go and allow people who are non-state actors come and stand by the road, flag down vehicles, harass people, it is a recipe for anarchy. All through History, such circumstances bring nothing but anarchy and break down of Law and Order

There are perceived feelers that the State Established Ebubeagu Security Outfit, is packaged  to be used as tools in the forthcoming 2023 elections. Do you subscribe that that view?

You people in the Media would know better. I want to believe that Ebonyi State is one of the 36 States in Nigeria. Our own would not be different, What happens elsewhere should be what happens here.

When you suddenly create a set of new rules,  regulations, new set of engagements for citizens in Ebonyi State, at variance with what the Federal Republic has established as rules of engagement, in as much as what we know they want to do, they are better advised not to attempt it.

It won’t bold well for them, for the State, for the democratic process in this country.

2023 is around the corner, what are your expectations from your people. Are you sure they have complied fully in terms of PVCs collection?

There are lots of efforts to sensitize the people to go and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). That is the only way they can control the process. We are trying as much as possible to encourage the people to go for PVCs collection. I want to believe that in the next few weeks when the collection gets to the Ward Levels, from 6th January 2023, we will do enough sensitization to make the people get their PVCs and ensure they to vote credible leaders in the state.

You organized a yuletide party for your constituents where you showered Gift items and other largesse to them. What motivated this initiative

This is yuletide where every body is at home. It is a period you show love to families, friends and by extension to constituents.

I just called my people together, to share the joy of Christmas and to wish them a prosperous New Year.