PDP primaries will be free, fair, devoid of manipulation – Nwebonyi

The Ebonyi State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Thursday, assured all the aspirants in the 2019 general election that its forthcoming primaries would be free, fair and devoid of any form of manipulations in the state.

Addressing newsmen at his residence in Abakaliki, the State Chairman of the Party, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, who stated that the party was interested in working with popular candidates with the support of the people, also said that the party would not impose any candidate on the people, as power belongs to them.

“I want to urge all aspirants to consult with their people because the primaries will be free and fair devoid of any form of manipulation; that is the directive from the office of the national chairman of the party.

“This idea of endorsing people whether they qualify or not is part of the problem the party had in the past and we don’t want to do that again; we don’t want to fall into the same pit; we want return power to the people; we want the mandate of the people to speak; if you are with the people we will know and if you have not done well the people will reject you; we want the most popular candidate to win knowing full well that we are in the opposition.

“I want to urge all aspirants to consult with their people because the primaries will be free and fair devoid of any form of manipulation; that is the directive from the office of the national chairman of the party.

“This idea of endorsing people whether they qualify or not is part of the problem the party had in the past and we don’t want to do that again; we don’t want to fall into the same pit; we want return power to the people; we want the mandate of the people to speak; if you are with the people we will know and if you have not done well the people will reject you; we want the most popular candidate to win knowing full well that we are in the opposition.

“It is true that the leader of the party has been endorsing people but it is not an endorsement per say but he has been appealing to people; by that endorsement it means that this person has been doing well please support him but that doesn’t mean that he has given ticket to that person. Party leadership is different from government leadership; he is talking as the father of the state; that yes I have worked with this people; they are doing well and feel like continuing with them; if he has endorsed and we at the party say that that person is not doing well; the decision of the party will prevail”, he said.