C/RIVER PDP GUBER PRIMARY: HOW IMOKE FLOORED OPPONENTS

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday elected its candidate for the April 14, 2012 re_scheduled governorship election. Two aspirants, the incumbent Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke contested against the immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to Mali and former state chairman of the party, Ambassador Soni Abang.

A total of 747 candidates were accredited to participate in the primary election from the 18 local government areas and 196 electoral wards at the U.J. Esuene stadium, Calabar. The national leadership of the party was represented and took charge of the exercise, while the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was on ground to monitor the exercise as stipulated by the electoral law.

According to the result declared, Imoke scored 737 votes, Abang scored three votes, while seven votes were voided.

Speaking after declaring the result, chairman of PDP Electoral Committee for the primaries, Senator Ahmed Zanna described the process that produced Imoke as free and fair and in tandem with the party's guidelines.

He advised Imoke to be generous with the victory being reaching out to his opponent Ambassador Abang by extending the hands of fellowship to him and also told Abang who lost not to feel isolated rather he should remain in PDP so as the party will win the April election, adding that the contest was not between enemies rather between brothers.

Unlike the 2011 general elections where the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state Mr. Mike Igini faulted the process that brought the PDP candidates at the parties ward congresses and primaries, the REC this time around said the state has set a standard on what free, fair and credible election should be, noting that the primary was a key process to the main election expected to hold April this year.

Gov. Imoke
He said, 'They started since Thursday. Essentially, we have agreed that the primary is very key to the exercise of the main election and that the ward delegate elections that started on Thursday that culminated in this primary has been one that we have been part of in terms of carrying out our oversight functions of monitoring and observing the due process.

'Now for us, the procedure is very important, if we get the process right, then it is most likely that the outcome would also be accepted by all stakeholders or participants in the process. It is in that respect that in areas where it was not properly done, of course, we say no, it was not properly done and good enough, I can say that what we saw from Thursday last week up till this point in time is commendable, remarkable and a departure from at least what see or hear in other parts of the country.

'It is something that we should be built on and so what is of most interest to us is that where the umpire in terms of having an oversight function has come up to say in this area, this is our observation. If you have done well we commend you, in the area where you have not done well, we point it out to you.

'I want to say with every sense of responsibility given that the talisman of Imoke is in the eyes of what we have seen since on Thursday. That indeed this is a good exercise. In fact, it should be used as a rebranding point politically, not only for this state but for other state.  Cross River State is now number one in terms of sanity.'

In his acceptance speech, Governor Imoke thanked the delegates and the people of Cross River for their loyalty, adding that the victory was not for him but for the entire state. He said, 'The delegates of our party have spoken and the people of Cross River have spoken. The victory is not personal to me but to all of us as a family.'

Imoke enjoined his supporters not to rest on their oars until the final victory was achieved in April.

But Ambassador described the exercise as a charade that fell short of all known democratic principles and that that the process of selecting the delegates for the primary was hijacked.

He said, 'I participated in the elections. I am a member of the PDP. Whatever we saw today is far from being a contest. It was electoral manipulation of the highest order we have witnessed in this country.

'You know I am contesting against an incumbent governor. We were supposed to go through the process of selecting ad hoc delegates, that process was hijacked. My representatives went to the media to say these people were doing a list and they went ahead and did that list.

'They sent photocopies of materials to some local government. In some other local governments, there was no congress to select ad hoc delegates. In my local government nothing happened. Even in my own ward, I don't k now the delegates. The delegates today are a collection of people who have been predetermined and that is why you see the outcome today is completely a charade. Generally what we have seen today is not a democratic process.'

On his next line of action, Abang said, 'What I am going to do is best left with me. I have a date with destiny. I came out to contest because I believe the governor has not done well in Cross River and nobody will terminate that vision. My date with destiny is April 14 2012.

'Decamping is an option. You now there are so many routes to government house. We have over 40 political parties in this country. If you don't get your aspirations on one platform, nothing stops you from moving to another platform.

'A house of many doors does not restrict you from using one door to gain access to the house,' he said.

Unfortunately Abang did not vote for himself, he was nowhere to be found at the election ground only his agent who was the only person that was identified with him Dr. Godwin Amanke was seen with a long face. When he was asked to comment on the outcome of the exercise, he kept on saying, no comment.

Before the election, it was rumoured that former governor Donald Duke and his political allies were behind Abang's interest, but the presence of Duke who voted at the primary did not change anything. Duke is from Akpabuyo Local Government Area and going by the result declared, Imoke got 40 votes from the area with only one vote voided and non for Abang. This development possed a question whether Duke midway abandoned Abang.

It could be recalled that before the primary election, there was tension especially with the ambition of Chief Abang to challenge Governor Senator Liyel Imoke.

In fact, the fear of Soni Abang became the beginning of political wisdom immediately he declared his intension. Even within the Imoke's camp there was fear and apprehension and that led to the formation of political groups and condemnation of the former envoy's ambition including his kinsmen who called him names.

During the Calabar carnival on December 27, 2011, Abang came with an innovation, as Imoke was leading the carnival troop on ground, he was on air in a plane causing stir, but the result of the primary was the opposite of the expectation of people.

However, the fate that befell Abang was no way different from what used to happen to aspirants and or contestants during his reign. Despite the noise from few people that were bold to identify with his aspiration, Abang was not seen anywhere campaigning for the election irrespective of the fact that it is a delegate election.

Some political analysts said the result of the primary was a true reflection of the political weight of the two contestants. Imoke had during his campaign described himself as a professor in political game while Abang is just a graduate.