From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Dan Orbih, has stressed that no person aspiring for any elective political position under the platform of the party would be given automatic ticket in the 2015 general elections.
Orbih stated this while addressing a meeting of PDP leaders and stakeholders in Edo Central senatorial district at Uromi.
He assured that the party would conduct a free and fair primary election and urged all aspirants vying for positions to freely express their intentions and follow the process of the party’s primaries, which is the first stage of the election.
“Anybody willing to contest is free to come. No endorsement, no anointed and preferred candidate. Those who have interest should go to the field and in their free will express their choice. Elected party chairmen, ward chairmen at both the state and national levels should not be seen or heard canvassing for support for any party aspirant,” the chairman said.
He dismissed rumours making the rounds in the state that the leadership of the party had hand-picked some people as its candidates to represent the party for various positions in the general elections.
“Edo state PDP will conduct a free and fair primaries to pick candidate that will represent us. It is true that our opponent is aware that in Edo Central Senatorial District that if we do elections a 100 times. We will win the hundred times. But the nomination is generating problem and I want to say that Chief Tony Anenih has no favoured candidate and he has not endorsed any candidate,” he stated.
He urged all members of the party to put aside all issues that bring division and unite so as to secure the party’s victory in the forthcoming election, adding that the it was preparing to hold a national executive council meeting on January 16 to discuss and resolve the crisis plaguing it at the national level.
Those present at the meeting include Joe Edionwe (PDP South-South zonal secretary), Friday Itulah, Senator Odion Ugbesia, Patrick Ikhariale, Clifford Odia, members of the party in the state House of Assembly and other party faithful.