24th March, 2018
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
As the Rivers State Local Government election draws near, Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that imposition of candidates will not be allowed in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Addressing the expanded State Stakeholders’ meeting of the PDP at the Government House Port Harcourt on Saturday, Wike said only popular candidates would emerge through the transparent PDP primaries.
He said: “The imposition of candidates will not be allowed in the PDP. We will use the Local Government elections to test the waters. Let people come out and vote, so that we know that we are doing well”.
He said that no candidate would emerge through connections with party leaders, but through their links with the ordinary members of their respective constituencies.
The governor charged party members to ensure that those who would emerge as chairmen and councillors were persons who would defend their constituencies during elections.
“Those to be nominated as chairmen and councillors must have the capacity to deliver quality projects and programmes for their people. They must have the capacity to stand and defend their people”, he said.
The governor added that the only strategy left for the APC is to rig the elections, using the security agencies and INEC. He said that the APC will fail woefully as the PDP is rooted in the state.
He said: “APC has nothing to offer. The only thing they are planning is how to rig elections. But by the grace of God, they will be disappointed “.
Speaking further, Governor Wike urged that women be included across all levels as the party conducts her primaries. He assured that he will support the emergence of women in the forthcoming Local Government polls.