By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign
They also alleged intimidating and threatening to sanction, delisting, suspension and preventing the statutory delegates from voting at the primaries are some officials of PDP.
Director General (DG), of the organisation, Archbishop Andrew Uwanta said at a press conference in Uyo on Thursday that the duo resorted to the sad undemocratic activities with sole aim of forcing the delegates to vote for the Governor Udom Emmanuel’s preferred governorship aspirant, Mr Umo Eno at the primaries.
According to Uwanta, the development is not only an abuse to Oath of the office that these agents of government and party officials swore to keep but also against the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in Chapter IV – Fundamental Rights, Section 40 which PDP also uphold that the right to freedom of association in an inalienable right of man.
The DG told Journalists that the abuse of the provisions has began to cause disaffection among members and threatening to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient conduct of the business of the party.
“It is therefore on the strength of this that the recent and ugly activities of some Akwa Ibom State government and party officials, calling meetings as well as reaching out to some party members mostly statutory delegates to direct them against freely associating with other members of the party and also threatening and intimidating them with violent and illegal sanctions such as delisting, suspension and prevention from participating in voting at party primary election of which they are legitimate delegates is unfortunate, irrational, unconstitutional, null and void.
“This has been the scenario across the state in recent times and cuts a picture of systematic and strategic plan to victimize, undermine and infringe on the inalienable rights of members of the party as provided for by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party.
“In as much as this action negates the tenets of democracy and fundamental rights, it is an abuse of office and threat to public peace, in contravention of the oath of office taken by these government and party officials.
“These unwholesome and illegal actions are seriously viewed as a calculated attempt to polarised the party with the potential of negatively affecting the long earned success of the party in the state and it is hereby condemned.
Stating the demands of Ubok Abasi Campaign Organisation, Uwanta said, “We insist that in line with the appropriate provisions of our party, the leadership of the party should ensure a level-playinf field for all the delegates to exercise their free choices by supporting whoever they want without intimidation. “We also demand that primary election as stipulated by our party, constitution be conducted in a free, fair and credible manner, “where all the aspirants will subject themselves to the voting choices of the delegates and test their popularities.
“We strongly advise the perpetrators of this ignoble and illegal acts of intimidation acts of intimidation to retrace their steps to avoid appropriate sanctions in line with the provisions of (Section 59(1) of our Party Constitution”, Uwanta posited.
However, the DG has encouraged party members and delegates to ignore the empty threats and intimidations and continue in their lawful and loyal activities to promote an egalitarian society founded on freedom, equality and justice.
On the possibility of Akpan dumping the PDP on the face of percieved intimidation, Uwanta insisted that as a founding member of the party, Senator Akpan who is the foremost guber aspirant in the party has no plan of defecting to another party to actualise his ambition.
“We are contesting in PDP and we will win the primaries in PDP. Such an attempt was made in 2007 to impose an aspirant on the PDP and it failed woefully. The people know who they want. The people of Akwa Ibom will decide their fate.” He said.
