Spurred by the need to restore the party to its preeminence in the country, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said that following the experience of the last general elections, it has ruled out automatic tickets for candidates .
The PDP leadership said that, it was now prepared to return the party to the people in line with its motto, adding that party primaries would be at zero expenses to allow for the very popular as well as acceptable candidates.
The Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, spoke in Abuja while playing host to the Resident Country Director, International Republican Institute (IRI), Sentell Barnes, who paid him a visit at the party’s National Secretariat.
He specifically said that party primaries would no longer be hijacked by money bags and very influential members of the party.
“Our intention is to make our primaries zero expensive, so that nobody will induce anybody. My agenda is to revolutionize the party so that the idea of money bag controlling the party will be eliminated”, he said
“We want every member to participate in the party activities by paying their dues. Through this, we can eliminate the class syndrome and bring the party to the people. The party belongs to all and should not be in the hands of few money bags. The party must be returned to the people.”
According to him, biometric membership registration was designed by the party to show that the era of few money bags controlling the party was over, adding that members of the party should pay their dues as the party leadership has decided to take PDP back to the people.
He disclosed that it has concluded arrangements to improve on the provision of effective situation rooms for the monitoring of elections as the nation prepares for Bayelsa and Kogi States gubernatorial elections billed to hold November 21 and December 5, respectively,.
Secondus hailed the appointment of new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, but urged him to be fair in the conduct of Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship elections.
Second-us , who stated that the party will partner IRI to train its staff, however warned staff members against the sale of document to outsiders, adding, “We said it clearly that INEC must follow its rules, provide level playing field to all parties”
“If the commission is playing outside its rule, we will draw the attention of Nigeria to it. We believe in Nigerian Constitution, we believe in INEC Act, but we want INEC to conduct free and fair election in Kogi and Bayelsa. We want an improvement on the conduct of the last general elections”., he added
Responding, IRI Resident Country Director, Nigeria, Sentell Barnes who, said the visit was to share ideas with the leadership of PDP with the aim of assisting in areas as technical assistance, expertise and training
Mr Barnes explained that the service will be rendered to the PDP at no cost, stating that similar services were also offered to other political parties in the country.
0 comments:
Post a Comment