The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi, says it will set up a six-member committee in each of the 13 local government areas, to monitor the registration of new members.
APC State Chairman, Eze Nwachukwu, who announced this on Friday in Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, said the state was given the waiver to register new members.
He spoke at a sensitisation rally on the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), organised by the APC.
Nwachukwu said that the registration waiver was granted to the state to enable it to admit defectors who joined the party since 2015.
He said that though the membership registration would take place at ward levels, the 6-member registration committee would supervise the exercise.
Nwachukwu said that the registration would last for 10 days, and urged all party members without official registration to seize the opportunity to formalise their membership.
“The membership registration is designed to enable decampees who joined the party since 2015 who are yet to officially register with the party to do so.
“The exercise is to take place at ward levels and open to interested members of the public, wishing to register with the party.
“This is a special waiver granted to Ebonyi, and any member who misses the opportunity will wait till 2020, and will not participate in our elective congresses and primary elections,” Nwachukwu said.
Nwachukwu also urged the eligible electorate to participate fully in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and described the exercise as crucial for the general elections in 2019.
He said that the State Working Committee (SWC) came to educate, sensitise, and mobilise the people for the all-important exercise.
“We have visited 10 out of the 13 local government areas of the state preaching the good news of the importance of participating in the CVR and we are here for the exercise.
“Please do not ignore this good message. If you have not registered, go and register and safeguard your card.
“Your voter card is your property and the only power and right you have to participate in choosing your leaders.
An APC chieftain, Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo, who also spoke, urged the people to resist those who would come to entice them with money and promises of employment into the civil service in exchange for their PVCs.
Chibueze-Agbo, a former Commissioner for Education, said that the sensitisation was aimed at mobilising support for the ongoing voter registration.
He commended those who attended the rally and tasked the people of the area to actively participate in the registration and other electoral activities.
He appealed to voters who had lost their PVCs or had changed residency to visit Independent National Electoral Commission office nearest to them to update their PVCs.
He stressed that double registration would lead to the disqualification of eligible voters and urged people who have problems with their cards to go to INEC for an update.
Chibueze-Agbo assured the state chairman and members of the State Working Committee that the message would be taken further to the remotest areas of the local government.
“Your voter card is your power and right, do not sell or exchange it for whatever price, and again, do not double register to avoid disqualification.
“It is only your card that qualifies you to participate in choosing your elected representatives in 2019,” Chibueze-Agbo said.