The
Ayogu Eze governorship campaign organisation has raised the alarm over
an alleged attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State to
intimidate its governorship candidate, Senator Ayogu Eze, out of the
2015 governorship race in the state.
In a statement signed by its legal
adviser, Mr. Kingsley Onyeke, the organisation said the party has
descended on its candidate for daring to object to an attempt by the
party to impose a predetermined candidate ahead of the November 29, 2014
governorship primaries in the state.
It said, “It has come to our attention
that party officials at the local government and ward levels are being
coerced to sign prepared texts which were shipped down from Enugu
alleging that they support the contrived consensus candidate of the
party.’’
Arguing that election remains a
distinguishing feature of any democracy, the organisation wondered why
the PDP in Enugu State is afraid of primaries which it said would afford
the people of the state the opportunity to choose a candidate of their
choice.
Onyeke urged the party officials to
resist any attempt by anybody to force them to sign documents sent to
them by anybody, reminding them of the oath they swore – to provide a
level playing field for aspirants to all positions in the state.
He also appealed to the governor who is
the leader of the party in the state to call the party to order and
ensure that every aspirant is afforded a chance to run in the primaries.
Restating its earlier objection of its
candidate to any attempt to smuggle in a candidate for the party through
the backdoor, the organisation pledged its unflinching loyalty to the
party and its leader in the state, His Excellency, Barr. Sullivan Chime.