MAKURDI – Dr Emmanuel Agbo, the Chairman of Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has pledged to conduct free and fair ward congresses across the 274 council wards in the state.
Agbo said this on Saturday when he spoke to the local government returning officers in Makurdi around 3:45p.m. on the delay in the take off of processes.
The chairman blamed the delay on the late arrival of the electoral panel.
Agbo explained that for the purpose of neutrality, the state working committee had posted local government returning officers and ward electoral officers out of their respective senatorial districts.
“The names of the Ward Congress Electoral Panel were out yesterday and the members of the panel cut across different geo-political zones.
“They all rushed to Abuja to collect materials and started coming down to Makurdi in the night.
“But for the purpose of neutrality, we have decided to post all electoral officers outside their respective senatorial districts in the interest of the state and the party.
“We believe that by so doing, we would conduct a free and fair congress,” he said.
Agbo said that all congresses must be held at ward headquarters, adding that where no consensus had been reached, election should be conducted to elect the delegates.
“All party members wishing to be delegate must be given equal opportunity to exercise their rights by conducting election for the public to decide who their delegates are,” he said.
The chairman further said that the party was relying on the positive outcome of the ward congresses to win the forthcoming general elections in the state.
He however warned politicians and electoral officials against short changing the process.
He said that necessary actions would be taken in such situations.
In his speech, the Chairman, Ward Congresses Electoral Panel in charge of Benue, Chief Chike Udenze, pledged to provide a level playing ground for all aspirants in the state.
Udenze, who said that he had already received complaints from some aspirants since his arrival in the state capital, charged electoral officers to conduct the congresses at the head quarters of the wards.
He said that though the panel might not be able to satisfy everybody in the state, they would ensure that all aspirants were given equal opportunities.
Speaking to newsmen, the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Mr Emmanuel Ayua, commended the party and the panel for providing a level paying ground for all the aspirants in the state.
Ayua said that the party was determined to strictly follow its guidelines and called on the people to support the panel to conduct peaceful congresses in the state.
He charged all the electoral officers to be honest and neutral in the discharge of their duties in the interest of the party and the state.
The former PDP national chairman, Chief Barnabas Gemade, who angrily left the state secretariat, refused to grant interview to newsmen.
NAN reports that there where speculations that the delegates forms and the materials were nowhere to be found.
It was observed that though the security situation at the secretariat was calm, many party members were angry following the way the exercises were being conducted. (NAN)
