The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the 33 governorship aspirants aiming to clinch its ticket to contest the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states to avoid violence and anything that could bring the credibility of the primaries and internal democracy into disrepute.
The party through its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, urged the aspirants to dignify the exercise and the party by avoiding any acts of intimidation of delegates and ensure that they conform with the party guidelines.
The PDP reassured the aspirants of free, fair and credible primaries adding that it remains committed to transparent exercise that would ensure the emergence of a credible candidate that would lead the party to victory in the respective states.
“The aspirants should conform to the process of screening as established in the party. It is a known process in the party.
“Screening of aspirant is part of it and after the screening, there is always the appeal committee on the screening in case there are grey areas or issues and an aspirant wants to appeal the decision of the committee. They have an advantage of achieving that.
“They should not engage in any act of violence or intimidation. As a matter of fact, we do not have members who engage in violence and none of our aspirants will conduct themselves in a violent act.
“What we guarantee all aspirants and the general public is that we will conduct primary elections in Bayelsa and Kogi that will be free, fair, credible and transparent.”
Among the leading aspirants for the governorship ticket in Kogi state PDP include Senator Dino Melaye; Abubakar Suleiman; Grace Adejo and Mr Abubakar Ibrahim, former Governor Idris Wada; Dr Joseph Ameh; Air Vice Marshal Salia Atawodi (retd.)
Some of those in Bayelsa state are the incumbent deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe, a member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency, Frederick Agbedi, the senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, among others.
