Adamawa People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is yet facing another threat of internal combustion and feud building to 2023 general elections among party loyalists.
This is the thinking of 107 aspirants who contested to become either Senator, House of Representatives member, or State Assembly members who felt aggrieved over what they called injustice, imposition, and irregularities of the party’s primary elections held on 22nd May 2022.
The aggrieved aspirants under the umbrella of the Round table of the House of Assembly Aggrieved aspirants in the PDP had their meeting on the 26th July 2022 to work as a purpose group to protect their collective interest.
The group in a statement signed by the convener, Barr Swuthirba Joel from Guyuk constituency has reached a comprise to draw the attention of the party under the leadership of Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the Executive Governor of the state.
In the summary of their submission, they worried that the last party primary elections transparency was eluded before sales of delegates forms to interested party members.
They accused the PDP leadership in Adamawa of falling short of the party’s guidelines on how delegates’ forms should be sold.
According to them no delegates elections were conducted in Adamawa state and as such the party could not make available lists of delegates to all aspirants as stated in the party’s constitution
Rather the delegate’s lists to be used for the primary elections were hijacked and given to favorite candidates of the State party’s leaders, and formal correspondences to the aspirants on the modalities of the conduct of the exercise were not duly followed.
“High level of intimidation to vote preferred candidates of the state leadership as was evident during the conduct of the primary elections. High handedness displayed to aspirants who were ordered to step down or refused to step down for preferred candidates.
” Forceful imposition and return of nonperforming Representatives in the House of Assembly, Representatives, Senate and allotment to nonpopular Aspirants. With a High-level display of autocratic tendencies instead of a Democratic process.
“Aspirants were not given a free and fair level ground in the conduct of the house of Assembly primary elections. And Female Aspirants were not given 35 % affirmative slots of At least being allowed to contest the primary elections, rather were all asked to step down for other preferred candidates after picking nomination form.” They lamented.
While blowing hurt on their party, the aggrieved House of assembly aspirants of the PDP said the last primaries were a blatant show of power and disenfranchisement of their aspirations.
“We have resolved to align as a team and find means to addressing the injustice meted out to all contestants in the primary elections.” They said
Bringing out possible ways of resolving the unfair treatment done to them by their party, they emphatically say that:
“We the aggrieved Aspirants of the group shall remain in the party as party men and stakeholders. And We shall remain committed to the party and the course of salvaging the party from imminent danger ahead of the 2023 general Elections.
“We shall continue to organize, discourse to the best way forward for our common Aspirations. And also Organize meetings with the leadership of the party from state to National level to ventilating their challenges and making sure they are well addressed.
” We shall remain Resolute to our conviction and have a common ground on the best methods and means to persuade our teaming supporters on the most objective decision to make and support in 2023 general Elections.
“We further emphasize to the Government and the party the need to accept Fielding popular candidates over imposition to avert the wrath of protest votes in general Elections.
“The state leadership of the party must find a way of meeting with the Aggrieved members who contested Elections and be ready to be objective in hearing our views and submissions concerning our grievances to finding amicable solutions.
“Female Aspirants that were asked to step down should be carried along in further party activities of the party henceforth, to give them a good sense of belonging to avoid them moving to other parties.
“The state Leadership must find a way to pacify the Aggrieved Aspirants to remain in the party through organized engagements that will give us a better sense of belonging in the party and be well involved as stakeholders in the campaign activities of the party at state/National.
“This will make us engaged in party activities and not lured to other parties. this will not be in the best interest of the party at this particular time.
“An organized session to be scheduled with the Governor to personally hear our grievances and challenges as a result of the outcome of the primary elections to address these challenges to the interest of all parties before getting into the campaigns for the general Elections with one house to ensure success at the polls. A stitch in time saves nine.” They added
The Adamawa PDP organizing Secretary , Alhaji Hamza Madagali was approached, contacted to response to the issues raised by the 107 aspirant could not get back to us as promised to press time