2015: C’River PDP, aspirants battle over party guidelines

May 31, 2014

Bullem, Agi and Agba

The Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State has warned aspirants jostling for its governorship ticket to desist from breaking party guidelines, writes MUDIAGA AFFE

It was like a direct attack penultimate Friday when the Peoples Democratic Party said it was ready to sanction any governorship aspirant that had gone ahead to mount campaign structures when the guideline for electioneering was not out.

While it would appear the warning was meant for aspirants who already have their posters pasted in some strategic locations and pseudo campaign office structures in place, the utterance of the state party chairman, Mr. John Okon, seemed to have singled out Mr. Godwin Jedy-Agba, a General Manager with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, as the main target.

Jedy-Agba is one of the many governorship aspirants from the Northern Senatorial District of the state, who has shown interest in succeeding Governor Liyel Imoke.

Others who have also shown interest to contest for the 2015 poll are the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Larry Odey; a prominent businessman, Chief Francis Bullem; a lawyer, Mr. Tanko Ashang, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joe Agi.

However, intrigues surrounding the clamp down on Jedy-Agba’s aspiration seemed obvious as the state chairman of the PDP, Mr. John Okon, bluntly said penultimate Friday, “Jedy-Agba is not a registered member of the PDP.”

The scheming had its root in an alleged surreptitious introduction as an aspirant to President Goodluck Jonathan sometimes in 2013 when Governor Liyel Imoke was indisposed. From then on, the aspirant had faced stiff opposition within the party.

Okon also warned that the party would take disciplinary action against any aspirant who had put in place campaign structures that bore its logo.

To drive home his point, the party, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Joe Obi Bissong, frowned at the use of campaign materials bearing PDP logo.

The party warned aspirants who had already printed posters to withdraw them from public glare, adding that the party would sanction offenders.

The statement read, “For avoidance of doubt, the establishment of campaign offices, appointment of campaign officials such as director-general and coordinators and the use of campaign materials with PDP logo ahead of the party guidelines on its primaries are by this notice banned forthwith.”

But in what looked like a direct attack on a particular aspirant, Okon, who was responding to questions from journalists during a press briefing to mark his second anniversary as the state chairman of the party, said it was possible that Jedy-Agba is parading a fake PDP card.

He said, “Let me use this opportunity to make this clear that Jedy-Agba is not a member of our party. He is a civil servant and our party rules indicate the number of years you spend as a member before you can contest elections. I just want this to be made clear because I have never said it before.

“PDP card is printed everywhere. Jedy-Agba is not a member of the party. If he likes let him print 20 cards, he is not a member. Let us wait for him to resign and come. But as for now, I know he is not our member.”

But a group of PDP chieftains loyal to Jeddy-Agba accused Okon of removing the aspirant’s name from the party register.

The group, which calls itself Jeddy-Agba Support Network, led by the immediate past Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Sandy Onor, said the leadership might have tampered with the register, thus removing Jedy-Agba’s name from the list.

Onor said, “Recently, you heard that the party registers across the state were carted away to a destination only the party leadership knows. We have also heard that distortions are going on even as we speak. Maybe the party chairman is saying they have removed his (Jeddy-Agba) name.”

Okon responded to the allegation, saying: “The register is with my secretary. The party secretary has custody of those registers. People are just afraid of everything. It is in the secretariat. We have not removed it to anywhere, but people have a right to speculate.”

However, Onor warned that the group would resist any attempt by the leadership of the party to isolate Jedy-Agba, insisting that the aspirant was a registered member of PDP.

To show that the group was not taking Okon’s pronouncement for granted, it had written a petition to the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.

In the petition signed by Onor and five others, the group insisted that Jedy-Agba is a registered member of PDP.

Meanwhile, in order to ease the growing tension associated with the aspiration for 2015 governorship ticket of the party, Imoke had during an interactive session with journalists, challenged those interested in leading the state after him to come out to prove themselves worthy.

According to him, his concern is that the next governor of the state should be someone with vast experience to lead development beyond what it is at the moment.

Imoke also said he had never barred or restricted any aspirant, challenging those who think they have the capacity to govern to come out openly to express it.

He said, “I have never excluded anyone from participating. I have always told the party that the people should test their popularity in the field. What benefit will I get by imposing a candidate on the people? It will be a wrong way to remember me when I leave office. Those who think they are popular and have the capacity should express it.

“The people who should govern should have requisite experiences. We cannot joke with experience ahead of the 2015 election and the future of Cross River. These are critical things we should be discussing. The unfortunate thing is that people have arrogated powers to me by saying that they are waiting for my body language. You will not see it.”

One of the aspirants, Chief Francis Bullem, who has been campaigning in the hinterland, said Cross River beyond 2015 could only be managed by someone with large heart in order to surpass the incumbent governor’s achievements.

Bullem, who has a 22-year banking experience, said the next phase of development in the state should be directed towards developing entrepreneurs.

He said he had been quietly going round the state selling his development blueprints to party supporters and the electorate, adding that banking career had exposed him to different aspects of management.

“The banking career gives you a whole lot that exposes you to different aspects of management. There is much laziness in the system and people hardly use their resources to add value. I have been interacting with the grassroots and will bring out the clear strategy when guidelines are released,” he said.

Bullem, however, noted that apart from himself and Jedy-Agba, who have been reaching out to the grassroots, other aspirants had yet to make meaningful impact in the hinterlands.

But another aspirant, Mr. Tanko Ashang, disagreed, insisting that he had been reaching out to the grassroots for support.

Ashang said his focus would be on the development of the solid mineral sector and agriculture. He believes that those areas could address the massive unemployment in the state.

He said, “I think Cross-River is a state of immense possibilities and within that strength, we will be able to articulate how we can turn the state around. For instance, my focal point will be the agriculture and solid minerals. These areas are most important because they can create jobs and generate incomes. I will also encourage private enterprise in these areas.

“The economy of the state as of today is bigger than it used to be. So, all I need to do is to create a network between government and the private sector and that will make Cross-River develop more. I am ambitious not just to be governor but to also create a robust economy.”

For Mr. Joe Agi, it is time to get the support of the people having worked tirelessly for the benefit of Cross River people over the years. Agi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said he had been reaching out to the grassroots to get their support for the party’s ticket.

He said, “My subtle outreach is going well and effectively. It is what I call targeted consultation with the people. As a person, anyone who knows the history of this state will know that I have showed unalloyed love.

“I retrieved the assets of Cross River people during military regime to their owners. I also fought the military when they were not patronising indigenes of the state for jobs. I am not a contractor, but I fought for the people. No aspirant has worked in this state more than I have worked. Even though I have not held any political office, I have worked for the people.”