By Ayodele Oni
To avoid picking any non- member as Governorship Candidate during the forthcoming election in Edo State and the hijack of party primary, the Secretary of State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Hilarious Otsu, has insisted that registration of party members must be done in line with the directives handed down by National Working Committee (NWC).
Otsu’s insistence is coming on the heels of alleged plot by some forces within the party to hijack the process, in a bid to assume total control of the structure that will produce the delegates who will elect the party’s gubernatorial standard bearer for next year’s election.
In a statement, Otsu restated the procedures already announced by the NWC for the registration.
The statement reads: “For all intents and purposes, all Edo PDP members and faithful should kindly note the following: The registration exercise, as directed by the National Working Committee, is one that must be carried out by the Ward Chairman and Secretary at the Ward Secretariat, and not by a “Committee” of individuals appointed by Government.
“The Party is supreme and this is not the responsibility of Government to dictate to our Great Party on issues such as membership. Therefore, all tenets of our Party constitution wil be followed to the letter.
“The State Organizing Secretary has his job well cut out and as stated by the Chairman, in Section 39 (Section 1a, d), to “initiate programs for mobilisation” but does not include Administration of the Party.
“This means administrative duties, including but not limited to dealing with correspondences, accounting and registers, etc, are all vested in the office of the Secretary.
“For the avoidance of doubt, relevant sections of our constitution describe the duties of every Working Committee member from National to Ward, mutatis mutandis.
“All intending registrants should proceed to their Ward secretariats to exercise their rights to register as members of our great Party, without fear or favour, and to disregard any instructions by disgruntled Party leaders or government officials, aimed at illegal duplication of our registers.
“The party has valid existing registers. Members should please note that we have not officially requested for new registers
“On my honour, I swore to uphold the constitution of our Party on March 15th 2020, and no amount of subterfuge will lead me to abandon the teeming and loyal members of Edo State PDP. I will not perpetrate any acts that can/ will cause confusion in our Party.
“It is common knowledge that the actions and inactions of the hitherto suspended State Chairman have misguided the State Government in taking regrettable decisions over the years.”
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