The Rivers State chairman of the People De3mocratic Party (PDP) chief G.U Ake said the conduct of wards congress in all wards of Rivers State, on Saturday 3rd March, 2012 was credible, free and fair.
The state party chairman made the remark during an interview in his office at the PDP secretariat Aba Road Ph, with media men after the conduct of the ward congress election.
Chief G.U. Ake said usually the ward strongest is the strongest among all party election because of it importance to the members.
Commending on the peaceful conduct of the election, the Party Chieftain told journalist that even as they monitors the election, they can atleast to it that there was no rancour as it was a family affair.
Answering question on the arrival of election materials, he said the material arrived early enough in the state an that the materials was also distributed across the state on time.
He said because the ward congress is the most cumbersome one most people are always on alert to mobilize people to vote candidate of their choice.
On when then the leadership of the party has a way of selecting PDP chairman said, it is the decision of ward to chose whosoever they want to be in the ward executive to represent then and it is not the business of party at any level to determine who will represent them since the ward congress always represented the grassroot it very vital to elect who they trust he said.
On the measure the party has put in place to ensure harmony exercise, Chief Ake affirmed that to distribute materials for the 319 wards in the state is not an easy task to be done within an hour.
To monitor the election effectively, the party also said two persons from the PDP secretariats to each ward and the LGA for the purpose of the election, the chairman said.
He said the most important thing is that every ward is the state received material for the said election.
Chief G.U Ake informed journalists that because of the size of the ward to conduct compared to the local government congress that will come next.
He said so far there are no reports of fighting and he hope not to get any because there is enough position to go and advised members to be patient.
Chief G. U Ake said there was a level playing ground for every card carrying members of the party.
Advising those people whom the congress might not favour after election, the chairman answered that, this is democracy and there are bound to be people who may not be satisfied and think the congress should not go the way of any individual since whatever the majority closes is the right thing. ###
By Pius Dukor
