5th December, 2014
Henry Ojelu
A head of the December 8, People’s Democratic Party, PDP Governorship primaries in Abia State, a coalition of Abia Groups have demanded for fairness for all aspirants in the polls.
The groups namely Abia Coalition Of Forces against Impunity, Abia Group Campaigning Against Imposition Of Candidates, Abia Youths For Change, Abia Progressive Force For Good Governance, Abia Force Against Rigging, Abia Liberators, Concerned Citizens of Abia and Abia Redemption Group are asking the umpire of the primary to ensure that no candidate is imposed as the flag bearer of the party.
At a press conference in Lagos, coordinator of the groups, Mr Osita Azodo demanded that the Gubernatorial primaries of PDP in Abia on 8th December, 2014 be done by the Delegates (whose list is with the PDP in Abuja).
“The list is a public document that should be displayed to the PDP members whereas up till now the list is kept away from everyone including the candidates. Is this fair?
“If PDP desires to retain Abia State as one of the States it will still govern from May 2015 they are advised to allow free, fair and credible primaries to take place on the 8th of December, 2014 in Umuahia. If this is not allowed as prayed here, then the entire Abia will have no choice other than to look towards the direction of other opposition parties that has filled credible candidates with capacity to govern Abia State from 2015”, he said.
Speaking further, Mr Azodo said; “We are all chorusing enough is enough of imposition, misgovernance, corruption, ineptitude, godfatherism, terrorism, threats, kidnapping and similar vices prevalent in Abia State. God’s Own State is tired of being ruled by cultists, lazy and unimaginative elites, now is the time for the Abia State to be governed by God’s Own People!
He also observed with shock and anger the several breaches of the internal constitution of PDP as the party prepares its candidates for the general elections of 2015.
“By their internal electoral guideline, the Party was supposed to conduct an election on the 1st of November 2014 for the 3-man delegates preparatory for the Primary Elections for the following positions: State House of Assembly, Federal House of Representatives, Senate and Gubernatorial.
“It is on record that the delegates election did not take place as party members who turned out enmasse to cast their votes were disappointed as no election officers and materials were seen in all the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State. Yet results were written and handed over to the Committee that came from Abuja for the purpose of conducting that election.
“In summary, election did not take place in Abia State on the 1st of November for the election of the 3-man delegates. Despite the protests both in writing and orally to the leadership of the Party in Abuja, they turned a blind eye and refused to look into the allegations of what took place on the 1st November, 2014.
He urged the leadership of the PDP in both the State and National level to urgently intervene in the absurdities in the state.