DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has challenged traditional rulers to educate their subjects on the need to collect the permanent voters card, ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
Governor Uduaghan made the call on Friday, January 16, 2015 while addressing traditional rulers council of Oshimili North local Government Area of Delta State when he led PDP candidates for the February, 2015 general elections on a courtesy visit at the Palace of Obi of Akwukwu-Igbo, HRM Obi David Azuka.
According to Dr Uduaghan, traditional rulers should take it as a priority for all their subjects who are of voting age to exercise their franchise.
“The instrument to enable your people is the permanent voters cards, it is good that INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) has decentralized the collection centre for the PCV, tell your people to go and collect their cards to enable them vote,” he said, stating that there was the need for more enlightenment campaign to enable the voters know the ballot boxes to cast their votes so as to avoid void votes.
He informed the traditional rulers that President Goodluck Jonathan is the Presidential candidate of the PDP, stating that he deserves to be re-elected because, “he has held the country together despite the challenges.”
Uduaghan who explained that members of the PDP were in Akwukwu-Igbo for political campaign, also introduced Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the governorship candidate of the PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi as the Senatorial candidate for Delta North Senatorial district, Hon. Amaechi Mrakpor as the candidate of the PDP for House of Representatives Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency and Hon. Pat Ajudua as the candidate for House of Assembly, Oshimili North constituency.
The gubernatorial candidate, Senator Okowa on his part also urged traditional rulers to help in enlightening their people on the need to exercise their franchise by voting during the elections.
While calling on the traditional rulers to thank Governor Uduaghan for making it possible for them to emerge as candidates on the PDP platform, the gubernatorial candidate assured the traditional rulers that he will consolidate on the successes of the Uduaghan’s administration and introduce new policies and programmes that will better the lives of the people.
Some of the traditional rulers who were present included the Ugoani of Okpanam, Comrade Ogbolu; Obi of Akwukwu-Igbo Kingdom, Obi Dr. David Azuka; Obuzo of Ibusa, Obi (Prof) Louis Nwoboshi; Obi of Atuma, Obi Chukwuka Ogbubo; representatives of Ogbelani of Illah and the Regent of Ebu.