Dep. Gov’ship Candidate Screening: Rivers PDP Elders Kick Against Male/Female Ticket
…Root For Grassroots Leader Of Great Repute
As the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline closes in on nomination and submission of deputy governorship candidates of all the political parties to the commission, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has promptly constituted a screening committee for the purpose of screening and verifying the nominated candidates across the 28 states where the governorship elections are scheduled.
Consequently, concerned elders of the party in Rivers State have lauded the move to avoid the ‘summersault experience’ of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship in Bayelsa State in the 2019 general election where the winner of the election was booted out on the eve of swearing-in because of the supreme court’s judgement that found his Deputy guilty as charged in a pre-election suit.
Some of the Elders who signed the statement include Chief W. F. Johnson, Chief Emeka Williams, Dr. Jolly Ekomtu, Elder Johnson Yorkwiri, Elder Neebee Oko, Dr. Lebari Tambari, Chief Luke Amadi, Rtd. Capt. Ijeoma Amadike, Comrade Peter Okojaja, Chief Nagbara Neetam, Sir Chima Okoro, Dr. Nwankwo O. Christopher, Sir Kenneth Anosike, Dr. Gbara Aadum, Elder Alikor Amadi, amongst others.
The elders have also noted glaring differences between 2015/2019 and the 2023 governorship elections in Rivers State which they described as an usual circumstance that requires an unusual approach to guarantee the party’s usual victory at the polls.
One of such circumstances is the participation of more serious-minded parties in next year’s election and the desperate and concerted efforts by these parties to wrest power from the ruling PDP.
The elders are therefore calling on the party hierarchy in the state and the indefatigable Governor Nyesom Wike to consider a little paradigm shift from a male/female ticket to a male/male combination this time around.
Their reason is predicated on the fact that the party currently needs a grassroots leader and mobilizer of the masses possible from the Orashi Region to pair up with the governorship flag-bearer of the party who is more of a technocrat to consolidate the expected victory of the PDP in the State.
As politics affects the trend of events so also it is affected by the turn of events such as the case presently, the elders argued.
Their words: “Our main concern for now should not be whether or not we are gender sensitive and friendly but to win the election first. The gender sensitivity and friendliness can always be expressed in various other dimensions and appointments. This is just food for thought for our esteemed leaders and, far from dictating for anybody”.
A hero is he who goes to war and comes back alive after which every other thing can be put in place, they further contended.
