By Amos Aar
AN ASPIRANT for the position of chairman, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Dr Jonah Ogbaji, has made it known that he is still in the race despite a purported consensus reached by some members of the party from Benue zone C where the seat has been zoned to.
Dr Ogbaji, the proprietor of Multicare hospital, Makurdi who spoke with journalists in his office on Thursday said he has already purchased expression of interest and nomination forms to jostle for the position, saying all aspirants should be allowed to test their popularity at the PDP forthcoming state congress.
He argued that the consensus which produced chief Egbiri Idaah as a sole candidate would not hold water because it was done in the absence of the committee chairman, General Ede, some committee members and many aspirants, describing the exercise as illegal.
Ogbaji said the Benue PDP has shared positions to various zones with the chairmanship to the Benue South otherwise known as zone C. According to him, Igede people expected zone C to micro zone the position to the Igedespeaking axis of the state because they have never benefited it since 1999 but the reverse was the case.
“That permutation came for the fact that from 1999 till date, Obi federal constituency has never been chairman of a major political party, be it APC, be it PDP.
“For that reason, about seven Igede sons came out for the chairmanship position. So, the Igede people thought it wise to actually speak and reduce the number. A committee was put in place publicly to address the issue of reducing the number of contestants. This committee did not meet. As a matter of fact, this committee was not inaugurated. When the sudden close of the buying of forms was announced, Hon. Samson Okwu felt it necessary to call Igedepeople to hastily reduce the number, unfortunately that day, the committee members were not present, only two were present. But he specifically invited ten people to attend the meeting. So, in that meeting, ten that he invited plus the two that were there constituted the twelve that voted. I personally, I was in keffi, I wasn’t in the meeting and EngrOkpo Onah was not in the meeting. Those who were in the meeting were of the opinion that the number was not big enough to take such a big position. The zonal chairman objected but Hon. Samson Okwu insisted and an election was conducted. After the election, there is a publicity now that a consensus candidate has emerged.
“Some candidates from Obi local government protested profusely and went to buy forms the next day. I came back from Keffi and went straight for the zonal meeting in Otukpo to wait for the official zoning. Unfortunately, they did not zone. They told us that there was no zoning and anybody who wanted to buy form could buy form. So, the notion that Igede has reduced their contestants to one is not true”, Ogbaji insisted.
Speaking further on the alleged illegality of the consensus, the chairmanship hopeful said, “the process was not credible enough. You don’t invite people to come and conduct vote, leaving the committee that was set to do that job. The committee has not sat, the committee has not taken any decision. So, the co-opted members don’t have legitimacy in selecting people”.
According to Ogbaji, Eight (8) aspirants have purchased the chairmanship form so far; four (4) from the Idomaspeaking area and four from the Igede speaking area, describing it as “real democracy in action”.
Asked if PDP has a constitutional provision for aspirants to agree on a consensus before it will stand, Ogbaji said there was such a provision.
“PDP has provision for consensus. When decisions are taken and the people who participated in the decision process are satisfied, that is when consensus stands. PDP has wisely said we don’t have zoning since there’s no consensus, people should go ahead to buy forms. So, consensus can only be real when the members of those involved are satisfied with the decision”.
He said he has the wealth of experience, the power of origin and the intellectual endowment above his co-aspirants to enable him clinch the seat and pilot the affairs the party successfully.
The other three aspirants from Obi local government who have purchased nomination forms according to Dr Ogbajiinclude Ode Enyi, Onche and Egbiri Idaah.
