Everest Ezihe || Basking from the euphoria of hosting a successful stakeholders meeting recently and as part of their strategic preparation for victory in 2019 general polls, Sir Martin Ejiogu, the Imo State Deputy Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says there will be no imposition of candidates during their primaries as the party is interested in popular candidates who will win elections for the party.
Ejiogu disclosed this in his office at the party state secretariat along Okigwe Road Owerri on Tuesday while interacting with journalists on the outcome of the well attended stakeholders meeting just held last Sunday at the state party secretariat.
According to the party Chieftain who hails from Isu Council area of the State “I am impressed with the outcome of the stakeholders meeting. The attendance and participation was impressive. Every person who is somebody in Imo State was there. The speeches and determination to move the party forward was unprecedented. Imo State was truely at a standstill. People where happy that PDP has such intimidating followership” he observed.
The astute politician para-phrasing Mr. Bill Clinton, one time American President Statement said “Beat me once shame to you, beat me twice shame to me” noted that the party has been in opposition in the State for over 6 years and the members are hungry and determined to regain power and authority.
Ejiogu also said that “We the patriotic leaders of the party have realized one the party’s greatest problem of not winning elections as imposition of candidates. This we have resolved to address, no more imposition of candidates in all levels of our primaries. Aspirants must be given an equal level playing ground. Our primaries will be conducted under the banner of integrity, honesty, fear of God, equity and fairness. We say no to imposition. Any aspirant that emerges through the credible process will be adopted and supported by the party as his or her candidate.
The party will equally respect zoning arrangement of each area as well as aspirants respect to party ethos and guidelines. We have played opposition for long. We have learnt our lessons and we are hungry and determined to regain power” he insisted.
He recalled that the present State Exco led by Barr. Charles Ezekwem was a product of credibility and integrity as the process of their emergence was in tandem with the party’s lay down democratic processes