Group Advocates Transparency, Fairness for All Aspirants in Akwa Ibom PDP Primaries

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Abuja chapter of a political pressure group, Coalition of Ibom Political Groups, staged a peaceful protest at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, calling on the party to ensure transparency and fairness for all aspirants in Akwa Ibom in the upcoming primary election of the party ahead of the 2023 general election. 

This is even as the group cautioned that PDP might  lose the Akwa Ibom State if an unpopular candidate emerges as the standard-bearer of the party.

They, therefore, urged the national leadership of the party to intervene and ensure that no candidate is imposed on the people at the primaries. 

The Chairman of the Coalition, Otuekong Francis Ekanem, ​emphasised that the PDP has been the governing party in Akwa since the return of democracy in 1999.
He warned that the most popular candidate should be allowed to emerge as its governorship candidate at the primaries. 

Members of the Coalition, numbering over 300, were seen displaying placards during the protests.
Some of the inscriptions read: “We say no to political witch hunting of aspirants in Akwa Ibom State”, and “We say no to imposition of unpopular candidate during Akwa Ibom State PDP primaries.”

Others were: “Please let section 84, Sub 3 of the electoral Act (As Amended) be respected”, “We are asking for justice to all aspirants in Akwa Ibom State PDP primaries”, and “We are asking for equity to all aspirants in Akwa Ibom State PDP primaries,” among others.

The coalition said it was willing to support anyone who emerged the governorship candidate of the party in the state provided the process remains free, fair, transparent and credible, warning that imposition will lead to protest votes against the party. 

The stakeholders said: “With utmost respect to our National Chairman and the National Working Committee of our great party, PDP, we are here to publicly and humbly appeal to you to use your good office to kindly intervene in the ongoing undemocratic political development in our dear state.

“It was occasioned by the announcement, anointing of a preferred governorship aspirant by the state governor as well as serial commercialization of adoption by some individuals in favour of a particular aspirant.

“This has generated serious political tension in the state, which may lead to destabilization of the party and thereby giving room to losing power to another political party in the forthcoming general election. “Again, the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party does not give anybody including the governor of any state the powers to unilaterally announce his anointed successor and present same to the party.” 

The Coalition appealed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and the National Working Committee of the party to intervene by calling on the leader of the party in Akwa Ibom State and the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, to allow other aspirants in the race across board to freely pursue their political aspirations without intimidation. It also called on the national leadership of the PDP to checkmate the state Working Committee of the party and ensure an enabling environment for all aspirants to enjoy a free, fair, credible, transparent, just and an acceptable process before, during and after the party primaries in the state.

At the end of the peaceful rally, the group later presented their requests in a letter signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Coalition.