OPEN LETTER
May 16th, 2022
The National Chairman,
Peoples Democratic Party
Plot 1970, Wadata Plaza,
Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5,
Abuja
Your Excellency Sir,
We are members and major stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State who are very concern that the party follows the constitution and guidelines of the party during the forth coming primaries to elect our flag bearers to various elective position during the forth coming general elections in 2023 especially, the gubernatorial election.
This appeal and request is predicated upon the recent happenings in the party where the election processes of the Three man Ad-Hoc Delegates, the National Delegate and the Physically challenged persons were clearly abused and hijacked by the state party apparatus.
The spirit and letters of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, the Party Constitution and its Electoral Guidelines guarantee equality of treatment of all aspirants to elective positions at every level of the party and a complete adherence to the Electoral Act, the Party Guidelines and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Your attention sir, is hereby drawn to Section 18 and 25 of the Party Constitution which establishes the Local Government Area and State Congress, and provides the composition of the of the Congresses therein, and section Section 84(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 which states inter alia ‘’ A political party shall not impose nomination qualification or disqualification criteria, measures, or conditions on any aspirant or candidate for any election in it’s constitution, guidelines, or rules for nomination of candidates for elections, except as prescribed under Sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 177 and 187 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)
Your attention sir is further drawn to the following anomalies and mischiefs of the state party apparatus in misguiding and or misleading the last two elections within the state and therefore jeopardising the entire electoral processes in the state.
1. On 29th April 2022, the State Chapter issued another Public Notice in the late hours of the same day titled: PDP TO HOLD WARD CONGRESSES TO ELECT AD-HOC DELEGATES APRIL, 30TH, 2022 signed by Borono Bassey, ANIPR – the State Publicity Secretary in which it was clearly stated in paragraph 4 therein that a List of Cleared Aspirants seeking election to serve as Ad-Hoc Delegates have been forwarded to the Chapter offices of our Party in all the 31 LGAs. This notice was strange as no screening whatsoever was carried out on the Ad-Hoc delegate aspirants nor the list published anywhere. This action in itself is against the provisions of Section 84(3) of the electoral act s stated above.
2. On May 9th, 2022, the State Chapter issued another Public Notice in the late hours of the same day titled: PDP TO HOLD LG CONGRESS TO ELECT NATIONAL DELEGATES, PLWDs ON MAY, 10TH, 2022 signed by the same Borono Bassey, ANIPR – the State Publicity Secretary listed all delegates that were expected to vote during the congress but clearly EXCLUDED and DISENFRANCHISED over a thousand delegates including but not limited to all former National/State Assembly; all former Party’s National, Zonal and State officers; all former Party Chapter Chairmen, deputies and secretaries, women and youth leaders; , all former Executive Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of LGAs, all former leaders of councils, all principal officers of the legislative councils. This was a complete aberration of Section 18 of our party’s constitution
It is this meddlesome interference and daylight theft of our members’ mandates/disenfranchisement by the State Chapter of the Party that warrants this appeal and to further remind His Excellency of Section 25 of the PDP Constitution which establishes and sets out the membership and functions of the State Party Congress. In the Akwa Ibom State context the following are listed as delegates to the Party Congress:
1. The State Chairman
2. The State Governor
3. The State Deputy Governor
4. Former elected Governors and Deputy Governors who are still members of the party
5. Serving and Former members of the Board of Trustees from the state who are still members of the party
6. The members of the State Executive Committee of the Party
7. Serving and former members of the Party’s National Executive Committee and serving members of the Zonal Executive Committees from the State who are still members of the party
8. Serving and former members of the National Assembly from the State who are still members of the party
9. Serving members of the State House of Assembly and former principal officers of the State Assembly from the State who are still members of the party
10. All elected Local Government Council Chairmen and Vice Chairmen who are still members of the party
11. All elected Local Government Area Party Executive Committee members
12. A;; National Assembly and State House of Assembly Candidates of the Party in the State
13. Three delegates per ward elected at ward Congresses which in Akwa Ibom State case is inconclusive and subject to litigation at the Federal High Court
14. Former members of the State Working Committee who are still members of the party
15. Former Local Government Party Chairmen who are still members of the party
16. One Physically Challenged Person per Local Government Area nominated by the Local Government Area Caucus
17. All serving elected Local Government Councillors
18. All serving Party Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen, Secretaries, Women and Youth Leaders of the Wards in the State
19. One National Delegate per Local Government Area elected at the Local Government Area Congress
PRAYER & CONCLUSION
Your Excellency sir, as concern party members and Stakeholders, we feel oblige to request that your attention, the National Chairman and indeed the National leaderships of our party take immediate and urgent steps that will ensure a smooth, constitutional and level playing ground for all the elections especially the governorship nomination contest in Akwa Ibom State by ensuring at the minimum, the following:
i. That the provisions, letter and spirit of Party’s guideline and constitution; and the Electoral Act 2022 be strictly adhered to during the conduct of this election
ii. That only INEC certified true copy of the elected officers from Ward to State levels of our party during the March 2020 Party congresses are allowed to participate and vote during the congress (Party Primaries)
iii. That only the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) with a photo Identification plus the party membership card be used for identification and accreditation during the conduct of the elections (Party Primaries).
iv. That only the National Organising Secretary signed list of Statutory Delegates including those in items (i) and (ii) above and allowed to participate and vote during the elections (Party primaries)
v. That only accredited delegates, agents, journalist, security personnel should be allowed into the venue of the party primaries and voting. Government appointees and or agents in the guise of observers should not be permitted into the arena for the primaries.
vi. That accreditation of delegates, agents etc should be done only at the venue of the primaries and voting
vii. That the panel to conduct this election shall not only claim to be neutral but be seen to be so especially not be influenced by the state government personnel and agencies giving the present and recurring antecedents
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