The power of the people to choose is supreme — Okowa
Drawing from his recent experience at the just concluded governorship primaries in Ekiti state where he functioned as the chairman of the electoral committee, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the Executive Governor of Delta state has read a riot act to all the local governments, that any attempt to support any candidate in the forthcoming general election will lead to automatic sack if such is discovered, even after the election.
The governor handed down this instruction yesterday Wednesday 11th May, 2018 while addressing members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Delta North Senatorial District stakeholders’ meeting in Asaba, the state capital.
The governor stated that the power of the people to choose their candidates was a supreme power that nobody should toy with.
In his words, “No local government party chairman should take a strong position on any aspirant. And if before the election we hear that there is any local government party chairman who is taking a strong position on any aspirant, that chairman will be removed from office.’
He, therefore, assured aspirants for different political positions on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the primary elections that will produce candidates for the 2019 general elections will be free and fair in the state.
Okowa, however, warned those with the intention to contest for the party’s primaries to consult with the people and shun the use of abusive languages.
The governor further explained that every member has the right to aspire for any political positions, but should conduct themselves in honourable ways during their campaigns.
Continuing, the governor emphasized that aspirants must not malign others so that “we do not destroy ourselves before the elections; we are going to have free and fair primaries and all party chairmen should work with us in that direction.”
He also urged all members of the party to be committed to building it, stating: “It is important that ahead of the campaign period we should work to build the party, the party is more important than any individual; I am glad that meetings are being held at different wards and it is important that we pay our dues.”
Governor Okowa decried situation where some political office holders were alleged not to be paying their dues saying, we need to know those who are not paying their dues, we have to believe that the party is meeting because any political appointee that does not attend party meetings should resign. You are holding the appointment because we won the election on the platform of the party, he concluded.
On his part, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta North Senatorial District, Hon. Moses Iduh, congratulated the governor for the successful conduct of Ekiti state Governorship primaries which was adjudged as free and fair by all.
He finally disclosed that the PDP in the state was recording successes because of the delivery of democratic dividends by the Governor.
It could be recalled that the Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa recently conducted a rancor-free governorship primary in Ekiti state that was acclaimed as the freest election conducted in the recent time.
By Shina Badmus
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