PDP Panel Throws Out 15 Aspirants’ Petition …Plans Disqualification Of ‘Unanointed’ Contestants

Two days after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Appeal Panel concluded its assignment arising from the Rivers State Ward Congresses of the party, the panel  yesterday faulted allegations by aggrieved governorship aspirants in the state that it was in the state to do the bidding of the former Minister of State  for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The three-member panel described the allegation that they were doing the former minister’s bidding as an attack on their integrity as they threw away the petition filed by the 15 governorship aspirants of the party.
The panel concluded its task of resolving the grievances that arose during and after the ward and local government congresses yesterday (Tuesday).
It would be recalled that 16 PDP governorship aspirants in  the state had expressed dissatisfaction with the members of both the electoral body that oversaw the congresses and the appeal panel set up to address the grievances of members of the party.
Among 15 PDP governorship aspirants, who signed the  petition, were Bek Dagogo-Jack, Bernard Miko, Professor Don Baridam, Tonye Princewill and Dumo Lulu-Briggs.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the Chairman of the PDP Appeal Panel, Mr. Afam Okeke, said that they would vouch for their members (panellists) integrity that  they were not pandering to anybody’s wishes.
Okeke said that 15 governorship aspirants had submitted a petition to the panel adding that the panel had also communicated to them in writing its decision aimed at  resolving the aspirants’ grievances.
He explained that it was the right of any contestant to complain about the process of an election, even as he described the allegation of bias against members of the panel as unfortunate.
”This is their petition with us here and these are their signatures. I agree with them that they did not participate in the congresses but they sent in their petition.
“Now that (allegation of the governorship aspirants) attacks our integrity. It is unfortunate for party members because there is no evidence to substantiate any of those claims they have made.
”But these are internal family matter and we understand the emotions behind their aspirations and we accommodate those emotions; we accommodate those aspirations, including the insults.
”We need to vouch for our integrity that we are not here to do anybody’s bidding. It is impossible to be here to do anybody’s bidding. Everybody that came here with a petition was well attended to.
”I am sure that nobody who came here will leave here without the impression that indeed, we are committed to a transparent process. Our mandate is not to cause division in the party. Our mandate is to assuage the feelings of people who have one grievance or the other,” Okeke said.
The Chairman of the panel stated that apart from the petition from the PDP governorship aspirants, one petition was received from the New Dawn group led by EmanuelGeorgewill and another complaint from the Rivers Peace Restoration Agenda sent in by Elemchukwu Ogbowu.
Okeke further explained that the petitions were mainly expressing dismay on the manner the congresses were conducted in the state, adding that the panel had written to the groups on its decision.
“After careful consideration of all the petitions, we made our findings and in arriving at our findings, we were guided by justice, fairness and the provisions of the electoralguidelines as stipulated by the party,” he added.
Meanwhile the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) is allegedly planning to disqualify the 15 governorship aspirants who boycotted the last Saturday ward congresses.
The Tide gathered that the party’s ongoing registration exercise which started a fortnight ago was done secretly for the supporters of the former minister of state for Education and members of Grassroot Democratic Imitative (GDI) a political pressure group of Chief Nyesom Wike.
Sources revealed that most of the aggrieved aspirants and their supporters may not have the new party card which may be one of the criteria for screening in the 2015 elections.
It was gathered that those anointed would be issued with the new party card of the PDP to make way for them to be returned unopposed while those without the new membership card would be disqualified as non- members of the party.
The idea, according to sources was to make way for those anointed to be returned unopposed.
It was also gathered that the screening committee had been directed to ask aspirants to produce their new PDP membership cards during the screening exercise which may commence on tomorrow this week.
Despite the extension of the collection of the nomination form, it was gathered that the screening exercise may still go on Tomorrow, Thursday,6th, Octocber, 2014 as earlier scheduled and would expectedly, take some aspirants unawares.
When contacted one of the governorship aspirants, Prince Tonye Princewill, said if that is the plan of the Wike camp, then, they have failed, noting that he has already collected his party membership card and registered.
Princewill who is one of the aspirants who boycotted last Saturday’s congresses said all their plans will continue to fail because they do not have good intention for the state.
Efforts to reach the Media Assistant to the PDP Chairman in the state, Mr Jerry Needam on phone proved abortive as he tossed several calls put to him an indication that he was not willing to speech to the press.

L-R: Rivers State Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Anifowose I. Abayomi, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Hon Victor Giadom, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr Paulinus Nwankwoala and Vice Chairman, NIQS, Rivers State, Mr Ewa E Isaac, during a visit by NIQS to the Commissioner in Port Harcourt, yesterday.