PDP Registration, Not Witch-Hunt -Ag Chairman

The Acting National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawa Baraje has said that the ongoing membership registration exercise is not intended to witch hunt or exclude anybody from the party.

Alhaji Baraje who made the clarification yesterday in Abuja while addressing the media, said that the exercise  is open to all Nigerians from 18years and above, who fulfil the criteria for membership, to revalidate and renew their membership of the party.

Alhaji Baraje, said the decision to open the party’s register “is informed by the need to afford teeming admirers and supporters throughout the country, the opportunity to join the PDP formally and participate actively in the national transformation agenda of the President and the Party”.

It is also borne out of the need to update the membership register and provide a level playing field for all those who wish to utilize the vast opportunities and advantages that the PDP offers its members, supporters and admirers.

According to Baraje, the  membership registration and re-validation exercise commenced nationwide on the 1st of September 2011, adding that formal public notification was delayed until after the Sallah break. “We are indeed pleased to note that so far we have received satisfactory reports from our State Chapters that Nigerians in their thousands have been visiting our ward offices nationwide to register as members of the PDP”, he said.

Baraaje stated that the ongoing membership exercise is open to all Nigerians from 18 years and above who fulfil the criteria for membership. It is also an opportunity for current members to revalidate and renew their membership of the Party, adding that it is not intended to witch-hunt or exclude anybody from the party.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our executives at all levels must be informed in clear terms that this is not de-registration exercise, nor is it an opportunity for anyone to whimsically deny any Nigerian who is willing and ready to join our Party”.

The registration project which is conceived in the all-inclusive philosophy of the PDP must be insulated” from selfish interests and unwarranted controversies by uninformed and over-zealous persons who may try to create unnecessary obstacles to those who genuinely want to be part of our Party”, the statement noted.

The chairman warned that “the National Working Committee shall take decisive actions against any member of the Executive Committees or group of individual at any level found to be engaged in unwholesome activities during this registration and membership revalidation exercise”.

He advised that “members who have outstanding dues to pay must do so during this registration window, if they are to remain bona fide members of the Party”.

According to the chairman, “where, for whatever reasons, disputes exist as to who the authentic executives are at the ward, local government and state levels, specific instructions have been given to the National Vice Chairmen of the six  geopolitical zones and members of the National Working Committee from the National Secretariat who will be overseeing the smooth conduct of the exercise in the zones to ensure that the various “factions” are brought together and encouraged to partake in this exercise with the view to arriving at a common register for our Party in the States. This is what we refer to as “consolidation of registers”.

“According to our Constitution, membership registers close one month before the commencement of congresses. Accordingly, the current exercise will remain open until December 7th, 2011, exactly one month before the forthcoming ward congresses to elect Ward Executives”, Baraje  added.

He promised fairness in the exercise, stating that the NWC shall dedicate some days after the close of registers to address all observations or complaints arising from the exercise.

Patterson Koko

Rivers State Governor, Rt.Hon. Chibuike Amaechi (right) in a handshake with Mr. Patrick Ogbu, Chairman, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Board of Directors, during a courtesy visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.