“The PDP primary election is here and it is the opportunity for me as a delegate to get my own share of money”
After APC primary, I have received many phone calls from both from APC and PDP expressing their readiness and eagerness to support PDP, as that is the only way out now, but all of these callers have one this in common, “Pls tell your party to present a credible and acceptable candidate” therefore ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party primary election on Tuesday, the fate of millions of Kogi state are waiting for the opposition to do the right thing, by coming out of confluence stadium on 3rd of September, with most credible and acceptable candidate that will match the Bello of the APC, now hanging and dazzling in the hands of sole few people called delegates.
Majority of these delegates are not concern with the happenings rather an opportunity for them to make money, as the highest bidder will definitely have his way as it has been the custom and tradition, the individual that have this power to decide for you and me on who become the PDP flag bearer, are looking for money and want to exchange this right and power for MONEY.
It is unfortunate, but this is where we are and the game is being played now, while we are blaming those who collected N500 on the queue to vote against their wishes, we also must condemn it collectively the delegates that are also out there negotiating their own price tag, some PDP delegates are placing N1million Naira while others are asking for N500,000 while others are asking for N300k
I am proposing N30k per delegate.
An aspirant was telling me yesterday that his cordinator just called him to inform him that delegates in his own ward are asking for N500,000, this is because some delegates want to leave lokoja direct and commence the building of a house or buy car and others want to pay school fees, while some to get additional wife, those in this category are not better than Bello, yes I agree with you friend that it is too late to stop delegates from mortgaging the collective interest of the people, but how long shall we continue in this way ?
Stealing is stealing and corruption is corruption, you reading me this morning have a relative, in-law or brother even sister, dad and uncle who are delegates.
We must tell them that majority of those aspirants there work hard to become millionaires, that qualify them to contest for the office of the Governor and you must be caution while extorting them, majority of them never held any elective offices before, so don’t even tell me it is government, one of the delegates that I spoke with yesterday told me that the PDP aspirants are coming with government money and is an opportunity for them to get their own shares, it took me over 20 minutes to convince him that majority of them are coming with personable sweat and effort not government money.
The delegates who collect big money and vote against his or her conscience is not better that Governor Yahaya Bello that Kogites are desperate for his exit from Lugard house.
Dear delegate, before your vote on Tuesday, ask yourself a question, are you okay with the situation of Kogi state ? you mister delegate or sister delegate ask your neighbour or ask those primary school teachers in your village, let them tell you their experience in the hands of this government, ask those community secondary school teachers, ask those teachers in Government secondary school their experiences, ask the dispensary assistance DA in your village his experiences.
The truth is naked and we must tell our self no matter it’s bitterness, nobody will remove Bello for you, if you failed to do your own path, while we can’t rule out money from primary election, but we must acknowledge that general election is more expensive when a party candidate emerged from the primary that is too expensive, the getting fund to prosecute general election will be another burden.
The fate of the kogites is hanging on the decision of the PDP delegates and the confluence state shouldn’t be for the highest bidder but the credible alternative to Yahaya Bello .
Usman Okai Austin
PDP Member, Public Affairs Analyst
Written from Abuja