PDP Criticizes Sam Woka’s Comments On Parties To Participate In Rivers LG Polls

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State chapter has described comments credited to Mr. Sam Woka, claiming that about 25 political parties have so far indicated interest to participate in the Amaechi-proposed Local Government polls in the State as outright falsehood.

Describing such position as that coming from truly a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the PDP only feels much concerned that a Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Information and Communications and a Civil Servant of that status, who a least ought to exhibit some elements of neutrality in certain political issues such as this, sadly compromised the public trust in him for selfish interest to justify the political vendetta by his paymasters.

The PDP said although not surprising that Woka has abandoned the ministry’s work and taken over the job of the spokesman for the Rivers State Electoral body, RSIEC, which he was before his new appointment by Gov Amaechi, and has since continued to act in that regard, noted that Mr Woka has only publicly exposed his loyalty and membership of APC which he tried to conceal over the years.

The PDP expresses doubt over the ability of Woka to succeed in his mission to launder the battered image of his principals, Amaechi and the APC chieftains, as well as the faulty foundation on which the proposed May 23 LG poll is being laid by the Commission in which he served as Press Secretary.

Woka, to the PDP, is only dancing naked in the sun as the problems associated with the LG polls are insurmountable, such that the Commission and Gov Amaechi cannot contend with.

Woka, the PDP believes does not have any evidence to substantiate his claim as popular opinion does not favour the conduct of the LG election as suddenly proposed by Amaechi and the APC leaders, calling on the Permanent Secretary turned APC spokesman to use this period to concentrate on his Commissioner’s hand over note, than making unfounded claim to justify the wrong and ill-conceived action of the Amaechi’s APC in the State.

Asking how come he (Woka) as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications is aware of such details of political parties’ participation in the planned election when RSIEC has not released any notice to that effect, the PDP urges him to defend his non partisan position and assignment to facilitate the commission’s compromise of its statutory roles.

On the allegation that the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Austin Opara, does not live in the State and will therefore not know what happens in it, the PDP insists that Hon. Opara lives in the State as a senior citizen and is abreast of developments going on in the State, saying it is Mr. Woka that is dislocated from true positions of affairs in the State because of his parochial understanding of emerging issues.

Similarly, the PDP views the comment made by a House member and chieftain of the APC, Hon Golden Chioma, that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law regarding the conduct of LG election in the State was amended in 2007, as negating the position held by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Chidi Lloyd, who had earlier said the RSIEC amendment was done in 2011, describing this development as a state of confusion occasioned by the dubious manner the State Government wants to pervert justice in the State, using all available State apparatus and those who are willing to join in subverting the system.

The PDP therefore, calls on the general public to disregard Sam Woka’s claims, an APC card carrying member in Elele, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State, insisting that no such number of genuine political parties is in support of the LG poll and or has indicated interest in contesting the election.

Signed:
Jerry Needam
Special Adviser on Media,
To the State Chairman of PDP,
Bro Felix Obuah
Tuesday, April 28, 2015