Can PDP conduct credible party ward congresses, primaries in Bayelsa?

                              

     Undeniably, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the giant political party in Africa was woefully defeated during the 2015 general election by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

  This is defeat was blamed on number of factors including the wrong calculations exhibited by the leaders of the party, occasioned with lack of internal democracy, infighting among the major stakeholders of the party; adding to oppression, deprivation, marginalization and victimization of party aspirants as well as hijacking the affairs of the party as personal property by those in positions of trust.

Prince Uche Secondus

   Since the inception of the present democratic dispensation which had made PDP to rule the country for 16years before its defeat, the party indubitably has not known credible, free and fair party primaries.

  The party’s primaries at all levels from councillorship, local government chairmanship, State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senatorial and Governorship were allegedly conducted as political appointments.  In fact, checks revealed that there is no transparency and credibility at all.

   Regrettably, elective positions of trust were always imposed on the party members and the electorates thereby electing premature, visionless, egocentric persons who see themselves as kings and not as servants of the people to occupy positions of trust.

 Cleopas Moses, Bayelsa State PDP chairman

  These set of people used their privileged position to hijack the machinery of government thus denying the masses their right to choose their elected representatives in government.

  Now, as the party goes to the poll to conduct ward congresses, thereafter primaries; the question awaiting the leadership of the party at all levels and more particularly in Bayelsa state to answer is “Can PDP conduct credible party primaries and ward congresses in Bayelsa state to give all aspirants who spent huge sum of money to purchase intent and nomination forms equal opportunities devoid of rigging in favour of some aspirants? Will it not conduct party’s primaries like political appointments?

  It would be recalled that previous ward congresses, according to our investigations was allegedly rigged in favour of some aspirants  by giving them delegates nomination forms while others none.

   This enabled such aspirants to give the delegate forms to only their supporters who will vote for them during the party’s primaries to fill and submit to the party. There was no transparent and credible ward congresses conducted at the ward levels over the years.

  This has been one of the annoying issues in the minds of most of the members of the party and the electorates since the party has dominated powers in the state.

  Checks revealed that aspirants favoured with the forms went to strategic locations in the state not even at their ward headquarters to conduct the ward congresses with their respective supporters where camera and video men were used to capture the exercise and camouflage to the public that credible ward congresses were held.

  This is time around; will this condemnable act repeat itself? Is the party really prepare to do credible, transparent, free and fair ward congresses and primaries to give sense of belonging to all aspirants? Is it prepared to create a level playing ground for all aspirants?

  These were the major questions the people wants the party leadership and those coming in to conduct and overseer the conduct of Saturday’s ward congresses and the September 15 party’s primaries to answer; and bear in their minds.

  Also, those coming in to conduct and overseer the ward congresses and the September 15 party’s primaries should shun money politics and do only what is right to give all aspirants equal chances by conducting free and fair ward congresses and primaries to move the party forward.

 Bayelsans and Nigerians are now watching the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, how it will conduct its Ward Congresses on Saturday, September 8, and the Party’s primaries on September 15.

  This Saturdays ward congresses is the greatest battle that would determine the winner or the flag bearers of the party at the respective Constituencies and Senatorial Districts.

  We want to use this forum to advice the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to conduct credible and transparent ward congresses and primaries in the state to carry every aspirant along.

  All aspirants’ spent money to purchase the forms to contest. The party should not allow its previous mistakes to prevail in this Ward Congresses and primaries.

   The party should be warned that if it knows that it is not going to conduct credible ward congresses and primaries; it should not sell nomination forms to collect money from aspirants.

   PDP should conduct credible party ward congresses and primaries in Bayelsa State to enable the people elect their true servants and not visionless kings imposed on them.

   Bayelsans are watching to see the transparency of the party. The party leadership at National and State levels have been put to test to conduct this time around a credible party primaries in Bayelsa.   

  The outcome and success of the Ward Congress will determine if the party can conduct credible party primaries and sweep the poll.