The State Secretariat of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Cross River on Monday witnessed an unprecedented protest against the decision, purportedly handed down to aspirants to various political offices that automatic ticket has been offered all incumbent members of the party in the National Assembly.
Daily Independent reports that the protest was nearly marred as one party member fondly called “Ekpri Efiom” shot two people on the legs to protest the damage done to his car when he wanted to drive into the premises of the party.
The protesters led by prominent party members and aspirants to the National Assembly on the platform of the Party (PDP) in the State stormed the party secretariat vowing to resist any attempt by the national leadership of the party to give automatic tickets to current members of the National Assembly.
Some of the aspirants jilted by the party decision include the former state chairman of the party, Ntufam Ekpo Okon who is making a senatorial bid, immediate past Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Security Matters, Mr. Jude Ngaji also making a senatorial bid and the immediate past commissioner for New Cities in Ayade’s government, Mr. George Ekpungu as well as Dr. Don Klemz Eneme, among others.
A communique issued on Monday and signed by Okon, Ngaji, and fourteen others, rejected what it said was an attempt by the national leadership of the party to impose candidates on them, a decision they claimed, was an impunity that “railroaded our party into the implosion from which she is yet to recover.”
According to them, it was appalling that the national leadership of the party took the decision to return all serving members of the National Assembly to placate them, insisting that such decision was bound to create more problem for the party in the upcoming election than be a solution.
Part of the communique reads: “As bona fide members of the PDP, we are competent and have a right to question the ongoing attempt by the party leadership to deny us the right to participate and be voted for, in a fair, elective contest.”
They, therefore, gave the party four conditions to fulfil if they were to stay back as members including; “Rescinding its decision to grant automatic tickets to all serving members of the National Assembly” as well as “called for a proper democratically conducted ward congress to elect ad-hoc delegates.”
“Anyone who therefore seeks to take away or deprive any qualified person of his constitutionally guaranteed rights has set himself on a contentious course that only end in infamy,” the protesters stated.
Other demands included: “A call on the party to allow all qualified aspirants to participate freely in all processes leading to the nomination of candidates,” and “a forty hours’ notice from the date hereof to address our concerns, failing which we will take our destiny in our hands.”
However, the state chairman of the party, Ntufam Edim Inok Edim, who later addressed the protesters, said the state secretariat had nothing to do with the decision to give automatic tickets to National Assembly members, assuring the protesters that he will take their petition to the national leadership of the party.
The State Governor is also said to have been offered automatic ticket of the party to be the flag bearer of the party in the general elections.
