Date Published: 08/14/09

Dear Editor,

PDP on non-automatic ticket

It is quite appreciated the recent comment by the PDP National Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor that none of the serving governors of PDP extraction would be given automatic ticket in the next round of gubernatorial primaries. This is a departure from the posture during Obasanjo administration when Chief Tony Anenih commented otherwise.

For transparency sake, it is normal that sitting governors, who are interested in getting a ‘qualified’ second term, must slog it with other interested persons because any controversial governor when fielded again could be an albatross. It should be noted that Parties made the governors and the electorate voted the parties and not the little-known candidates and this has been legally proved in the case of Amaechi vs Omeha; also people had remained in detention and yet from there become governors, etc. In short any party that drops its controversial candidates is most likely to get the electorate.

With this new posture of the PDP, it looks like it has woken up from slumber and realizing that rigging may not flourish as much as it did in the previous outings otherwise there would be wars.

I think on that note, the stand as represented by that stand of the PDP Chairman is most appropriate, provided he is sincere and serious, without favoritism, because from rumor making the rounds, he had benefited from some of the governors in terms of contract patronages and this may see him canvassing supports for this category of sitting governors.

Obidigbo Mgbachi

59 Market Road

Ekwulobia, Anambra.