27th November, 2014
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The National Working Committee the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lifted the disqualification slammed on 13 governorship aspirants including in Tonye Princewill. The aspirants have been vehemently opposed to the endorsement of Nyesom Wike, former Minister of State for Education by Patience Jonathan.
Others cleared are: Prof Don Baridom, Beckinbo Dago Jack, Sam Ngerigbara, Nimi Wilson Jack, Gabriel Pidomsom, Dumo Lulu Briggs, Odien Ajumogobia, Major Lancelot and others. The South-south screening committee had earlier disqualified the aspirants on the grounds that they were not PDP members.
Princewill has since reacted to the new development by the PDP. In a statement signed Wabiye Idoniboye-Obu, his personal assistant on Media and Publicity, he said that the reversal of the disqualification proved that there is still hope for the “little guy” in Nigeria.
“The suspicious disqualification and open betrayal of myself and other key members of the party resulting from a kangaroo screening was cancelled. This is a victory for democracy and a warning to politicians that politics in Nigeria can not be business as usual.”
“I have finally been cleared to partake in the PDP gubernatorial primaries. Thank you for your prayers because they worked. God listened but PDP needs to do more.”
He said that now that the screening chapter is over and there is a need to revisit the kangaroo congresses in the state. “We need to make sure that the 419 kangaroo congresses for Rivers state also suffer the same fate. We have no clear and credible delegate list to decide our candidates in the house of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship.
He asked his loyalists to continue to pray for the state and to watch, warning that, money is not everything. “In the battle for Rivers state, David will always defeat Goliath,” Princewill said.
In reaction, a PDP chieftain in the state Anabs Sara-Igbe said the reversal of all those illegally disqualified by the screening committee is to prove that Rivers state PDP is not in the pockets of Nyesom Wike and Felix Obuah. “PDP is a national party, its not one in the pockets of any individual”.