Headlines
PDP rakes in N500.5m from sale of local govt election forms in Akwa Ibom
BY IGWE OKOSO
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Akwa Ibom State, has raked in over N500 million from sale of forms to members aspiring for the party’s tickets to contest the forthcoming local government elections in the state.
The polls are billed for October 31, in the 368 wards spread across 31 local government areas, according to the State Independent Electoral Commission.
No fewer than 70 chairmanship and 450 councillorship aspirants bought the party forms to vie for the various offices.
Each aspirant for councillorship is required to pay N100,000 for expression of interest, cough out N500,000 for nomination form and another N150,000 for tax clearance, bringing the total to N750,000.
Similarly, chairmanship aspirants are to pay N250,000 for expression of interest, N150,000 for tax clearance and N2,500,000 for the nomination form making a total of N2,900,000.
This leaves the PDP in Akwa Ibom State richer by a handsome N540.5 million.
The party has so far concluded the screening of the over 500 aspirants with the primaries slated on Wednesday 19 for councillors and Saturday for chairmen, respectively.
State Chairman of the party, Udo Ekpenyong had enjoined the screening committee to promote the ideals of the party including internal democracy, but the screening exercise is already generating controversies and attracting protests from aspirants who feel they were unjustly screened out of the contest, according to Vanguard report.
Some of the aspirants on Tuesday thronged the party’s Secretariat at Atan Offot to register their grievances.
READ: PDP faults Buhari on N5,000 fee for national identity card issuance
An aspirant from Mbo who spoke on condition of anonymity accused the party hierarchy and stakeholders of unfairness in the process.
“The process in my local government area was a complete sham. It is appalling and it negates the ideals of the party. The question is, what indices did they adopt to clear the incumbent chairman who has a woeful performance in three years in office? Does it mean that the party support and encourage incompetency and bad administration?
“It would have been better we all go to the polls and lose than to hand the sole ticket to the Chairman who has performed poorly in three years.”
Reacting, the State Publicity Secretary, Borono Bassey, said the party was poised to address all complaints arising from the screening.
Bassey said, “They were here and the Chairman told them that every complaint will be listened to and addressed and that the party will ensure fairness in the process.
“As we speak, the appeal panel is sitting and if they have genuine complaint, they should appear before the panel and ventilate such grievances, and the party will address them.”