The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has defended a recent statement made by Akwa Ibom state Governor, Godswill Akpabio, who stated that he personally tampered with the party’s north-west senatorial zone primaries in the 2007 general elections.
The Governor admitted the act during his speech at an event held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital, in honour of the Good Governance Tour Team led by the Information Minister, Labaran Maku.
In his words, “The people of Ikono and Ini (LGA) from 1960 have never produced a senator. I used my own hand to strike out the name of the person who has won before, and I said it is important for me to give that region a senator in 2007, and I produced Senator Aloysius Etok for you; that is where he comes from.”
Etuk won the election that year and then was re-elected for another term in 2011.
Speaking in an interview, PDP spokesman, Olisa Metuh, said the opposition was behind the misconception the story had generated.
According to him, “We have already raised the alarm that some people are targeting Gov Akpabio and put him to public ridicule. This video, which from all intent and purpose is doctored evidence, is proof of what we have said before,” Mr. Metuh said.
” The video, I must say, however, is a poor attempt at ridiculing one of the giants of the party. We are happy with his performance in Akwa Ibom State and he is a great and loyal member of the PDP.”
Reacting to the defence by PDP, parties under the newly formed All Progressive Congress, APC, described the ruling party’s position on the matter as expected.
Spokesman for the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Emma Eneukwu said, “We are not surprised by Akpabio’s confession of manipulating the electoral process.. PDP as a party exists on imposition; it is not practising democracy; there is no internal democracy, there’s no justice.”
On his part, Rotimi Fashakin of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, decried the Governor’s comment. He said “PDP has a rigging culture. And that is what they are trying to do with APC. They see it as a conglomerate of parties that will give them a run for their money.”
“The only way we can curb this is that everybody within the polity should be serious. This is about our nation; it affects the fundamentals of our land. It is the plank on which democracy rests. We must ensure the sanctity of our electoral process so that we have a better lease of life. There should be one man one vote; there should be transparency in the electoral process because that is where the future of our nation lies.”
Fashakin’s counterpart in the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Lai Mohammed said, “’I’m not surprised and I don’t know why people should be surprised. Anyone who is familiar with the PDP should not be surprised.”
“Was it not the same PDP in the case of Amaechi, that he had to go to Supreme Court to be declared governor?” he asked.
“But with the help of the electorates, this will end in 2015,” Mohammed assured.
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