PDP Convention: Aspirants protest over Unity List

Some of the aspirants for various offices in the ongoing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention has cries foul over the appearance of a Unity List allegedly containing the list of anointed and adopted candidates.

The aspirants raised the alarm over the circulation of the Unity list, which was not endorsed by anybody.

Addressing journalists on the matter, one of the chairmanship aspirants, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who showed a copy of the list to newsmen, said that the list was an attempt to rig the election in favour of some candidates.

Dokpesi described the convention as a charade, that may destroy the party. He maintained that the process of voting has been rigged, following the distribution of a unity list containing names of candidates believed to have won elections into various National leadership positions in the party.

He explained that the 21 names of candidates contained in the list appeared on the ballot papers as number one and in the Voting boots as number one. He revealed that complaints has been lodged to the chairman of the PDP electoral committee headed by former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam who confirmed that he has seen the list but cannot confirm its authenticity.

Dokpesi said it is unfortunate that a party which is just getting out of a major leadership crisis will be involved in acts of impunity and election malpractice. The media magnate however called on the party leadership to urgently rectify what he called an anomaly and a charade before it becomes another major challenge in the party, ahead 2019 general elections.

Commenting on his next line of action, Dokpesi said that the party has an internal mechanism that can be explore to resolve the situation.

Also speaking with newsmen, John Odey, who is the Secretary of the convention Sub-committee on Publicity and former minister of Information said that “the principles of zoning threw up some challenges and the challenges are managed along the process.’

He said that the controversy will be sorted out.

Myke Uzendu, Abuja.