ANAMBRA PDP PARTY PRIMARIES | No room for mischief – Wike, Okowa and Fayose declares
Three governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday met to finalise preparations for the forthcoming party primaries for the Anambra State governorship election. They threatened that any aspirant who resort to violence will be disqualified.
The governors – Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), and the Secretary of the PDP Caretaker Committee, Senator Ben Obi – converged at Asaba, Delta State, en-route Anambra for the governorship primaries.
They said that the primaries offered the party another opportunity to consolidate on the gains of the last PDP’s non-elective congress in Abuja.
After a brief meeting at the Asaba International Airport, Fayose, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, assured members of the party of fairness, transparency and justice in party affairs. While in Anamabra, the governors tasked the aspirants to conduct themselves peacefully or be disqualified.
Addressing PDP faithful at the PDP’s Secretariat in Awka, Anambra State, the governors said their committee would not tolerate any form of violence or hate speech and unwarranted conduct.
They said that the PDP must get it right this time in Anambra by winning the November 18 poll.
Wike who is the Chairman of the PDP three-man ward delegate congress for Anambra said: “We must work together and put our differences aside and make sure that PDP comes back and takes over Anambra State.
“And whether you like it or not power comes from God. You can take the ticket and you may not be able to win the election.
“All of you know what some of us have passed through but God said that we are going to be there and we are there, not because we are stronger, not because we have money but God said that at this appointed time you are the one to be there.
“We have told the aspirants that if any of their supporters makes trouble the person will be disqualified. And with two of us, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and with me as chairman of this panel, no money can change our decision”.
Reinforcing Wike’s warning, Fayose said, “If any aspirant is linked to violence, he will be disqualified. I say this because some people are saying that if it does not work in their way, they will scatter the election.
Fayose said: “This is a new beginning for our party, it is part of the efforts of our party to ensure due process and that everybody gets justice, with the calibre of men in this National Committee, you can be rest assured of transparency, justice and fairness.”
Fayose also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his return from his medical leave in London but reminded him that Nigerians are hungry not only for food but for development.
He urged the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government to face governance squarely and deliver the gains of democracy to the people.
Fayose said: “We are happy that President Buhari is back, it is a welcome development but Nigerians are hungry, they need food, they need development. We in PDP know what is right for Nigerians, democracy is strengthened by opposition, APC should face governance squarely and give Nigerians democratic dividends.’’
He stated that governors elected on the platform of the PDP are committed to working together with the party’s leadership with a view to repositioning the PDP and eventually winning the 2019 national elections.
