Two Councillorship candidates for Ward 13 and 14 (Ward 8 Kiagbodo) in Burutu Local Government Area have led a peaceful protest to the State Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party PDP in Asaba to register their dismay over the imposition of candidates after they have emerged as the Party flag bearers for the March 6, 2021 Local Government Council poll.
Leading the protest Honourable Paul Oruma PDP Councillorship candidate for Ward 13 and Honourable Perebi Godwin Gbogiemi Councillorship candidate for Ward 14 in Burutu Local Government Area said they were in the State PDP Secretariat to present their petition vehemently standing against the imposition of candidate in any guise.
They said they participated in the councillorship primaries where the PDP guidelines was used as the template to conduct the primary election and they emerged as the PDP flag bearers for Wards 13 and 14.
The Councillorship Hopefuls said they will resist any attempt by Chief EK Clark to hijack the collective will of the people who elected them as the PDP candidates by imposing his nephew on the people.
They noted that Chief EK Clark ought not to condescend so low to impose candidates on the party which he resigned from in 2015 stressing that he is not a member of the PDP having renounced the party.
While noting that they have confidence in the State Working Committee of the PDP under the leadership of Olorogun Kingsley Esiso to address their issue,Honourable Paul Oruma and Honourable Perebi Godwin Gbogiemi said they will exhaust all internal mechanism of the party.
They appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is the Leader of the PDP in the state to intervene with a view of restoring their mandate as the candidates for Ward 13 and 14,Burutu Local Government Area in the forthcoming Council poll.
According to them,Ward 8 Kiagbodo,Burutu LGA is the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC ward while Ward 13 and 14 is the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission DSIEC under Ward 8.
Addressing the protesters,the State Organising Secretary of the PDP,Chief Onoriode Sunday commended them for their peaceful disposition promising that the party will look into their grievances.
He urged them to remain calm and continue to be loyal party members.
Speaking to the protesters before their departure from Asaba,a PDP Leader in Burutu Local Government Area,Alhaji Isah Clark said he was happy with the peaceful protest against the imposition of candidates in Ward 13 and 14 ahead of the local government council poll.
He said the PDP used its guide lines to conduct the primaries to elect Councillorship candidates for Kiagbodo Ward 13 and 14 only for Chied EK Clark to without reason wants to impose his candidates on the people saying that such action was undemocratic.
Alhaji Clark noted Chief EK Ckark had renounced the PDP in 2015 and still wants to impose candidates stressing that his action is undemocratic.