Two civil society groups, Rights Monitoring Group and Centre for Convention on Democratic Integrity (RMG & CCDI) have called on the PDP National Working Committee to allow internal democracy dominate the forthcoming governorship primary in the November 11 governorship election in the state, noting the the election would provide another opportunity for the people of Bayelsa to appreciate democracy as well as deepening democratic tenets and further accelerating the development recorded by the outgoing government.
In a statement made available to Global Excellence magazine on Monday, president of the groups, Ambassador Olufemi Aduwo, condemned the killings during the last general elections in the State which he reportedly witnessed as election observer, warning that such act must not be repeated in the forthcoming election.
According to Aduwo, who is also the permanent representative of CCDI to the United Nations, “PDP must be ready to conduct free and fair primary and the party must encourage acts that will deepen internal democracy, discourage imposition of candidates on people and ensure that loyalty and consistency are rewarded rather than encouraging godfatherism.”
The rights activist added that “PDP must be a good student of history and learn that the rule of few men as practiced by Adams Oshiomole of APC has consequences, noting that Zamfara State since the return of civil rule in 1999 had never been won or ruled by PDP but today, the reverse is the case due to the rascality of one man in APC. Since 1999, PDP has been ruling Balyesa State and by extension the ljaw nation, hence the party must not take the people of the State for granted in order to avoid the calamity that befell APC in Zamfara State.”
“We want to appeal to the former President Jonathan, an African hero of democracy, not to dabble into politics at such local level or allow any candidate use his good name to campaign before the primary. He had set example that other African leaders should follow by that singular action he took in 2015 that saved Nigeria from bloodbath.
We also appeal to the people of Bayelsa State to eschew bitterness, bigotry, hate speech and promote the goodness of the State. It’s on record that the outgoing governor, Seriake Dickson, has restored peace to the State and such legacy must be encouraged and sustained by all parties.
Aduwo, who is currently in New York to witness the election to the office of the United Nations General Assembly President scheduled to hold on 4th June, 2019, used the opportunity to congratulate in advance the Nigerian Permanent Representative to United Nations, Ambassador (Prof) Tijani Mohammed-Bande, who will emerge as the President of 74th General Assembly session. He said that Centre for Convention on Democratic Integrity (CCDI) as a consultative status of the United Nations which he represents as the Permanent Representative, looks forward to work with the new UN General Assembly President in the area of SDGs and related issues.