A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, Mr Chukwuemeka Iheuwa, has urged the party’s leadership to ensure that it fulfilled its promise to conduct credible primaries ahead of 2019 general elections.
Iheuwa, a former Senior Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals to Abia State Governor, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
He disclosed that he had obtained PDP’s expression of interest and nomination forms to contest primary election for Umuahia South Constituency seat in Abia House of Assembly for the 2019 polls.
According to him, credible primaries are significant to elections’ victory.
The aspirant said that PDP lost many elections in 2015 because there were errors in the processes that produced some of its flag-bearers.
He said the party lost to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia South State Constituency because the choice of the people did not get its ticket, and the people voted against the party.
“I think PDP has learnt its mistakes, not only in Abia but also at the federal level.
“There were one or two mistakes that were made and the leadership of PDP apologised and promised us that they would not impose candidate on the people again.
“They promised to go back to original ideology that the founding fathers of PDP had in mind when they set up the party, that power belong to the people, not the stakeholders or individuals.
“When power goes back to the people, they respect their decision, but in 2014 that was not done.
“A candidate was imposed and the people voted against that candidate. That was why PDP lost in 2015 elections. I pray that we will not do that again.
“The party leadership has met with us and they promised to organise free, fair and credible primary elections.
“I believe that they will do so but I am using this opportunity to plead that they should remember the mistake of 2014 and adhere to what they promised us,” Iheuwa said.
He said that going into the contest for PDP ticket for Abia South State Constituency in 2019 was to reclaim PDP mandate that was lost to APGA in 2015,
He explained that his concern was to bring democracy closer to his people and add value to humanity.
“My desire of picking the form is because I have the passion for serving humanity. I also want to change the perception out there concerning politics.”
He appealed to party and communities leaders in his constituency to work together and ensure that the best of the PDP aspirants emerged for the contest in 2019.
“I believe that when the elders, leaders and the ‘Ezes’ put their heads together, we will come out successfully.
“I have the desire to see greater Abia and I believe that greater Abia is possible. It is all about vision.” (NAN)