As the People’s Democratic Party in Abia State (PDP), continues the sale of forms for the 2020 Local Government Area elections, the State Party chairman, Rt Hon Asiforo Okere, has assured members particularly aspirants of fairness and justice, come December 19.
In an interview with newsmen in Umuahia, the party chairman assured everyone aspiring for one position or the other, whether as a counsillor or LGA chairman in the forth coming LGA elections,of the party’s readiness to conduct a free and fair party primaries.
You could recall that in the last Local government election in the state,most members of the PDP were crying foul,reason be that,the election was characterised with Impunity and imposition,which did not augur well with some members who felt they were short changed.
This time,the PDP under the leadership of Rt. Hon Okere,has assured everyone of a level playing ground, saying that the Primaries would be grass root base,therefore, all aspirants should go and mobilise support from members, as well as stakeholders in their various localities.
He said there wont be anything like hand picking or imposition,but to make the exercise simpler,party stakeholders who would form the delegate list from the different LGAs would be given an opportunity to harmonize and choose who would represent them in their locality and if a Local government or ward decides it is a particular person they want,there is nothing the party would do about it.
The Party chieftain, however, advised the aspirants to go back to their wards and LGAs to mobilize and canvass for votes.
He noted that it is the delegates that would vote in the primaries,so it wont be out of place if they are asked to choose a consensus candidate.
The party boss further addressed and corrected the minds of some people who thought that the prices for the forms, were deliberate attempt to sideline the youth,saying that it is not in the system of the party to sideline anyone, disclosing that the price released is the cheapest the party has sold their forms.
Rt. Hon Okere noted that the PDP is a formidable party with strong structures,as such that, anyone contesting under the platform is sure of victory.
He said other parties can decide to sell forms at a cheap price or even give it freely,but asked what use would the form be, when you cannot use the platform to win elections.
The State Party chairman, revealed that the PDP has a good platform that can give anyone victory, adding that the sole objective of the party is to win in any election contested for.
Reacting to the 2023 governorship zoning of the party that ia already exhuming agitations,the party chairman begged that the issue of zoning should not tear the party apart, urging everyone to calm down, as the 2023, governorship slot would be rightly zoned.
However,the former Speaker,revealed that there are mechanisms already in place to educate party members on why they should shun litigations, agitations or grievances after each election processes, saying that all aggrieved members should sheath their sword and return to the party.
