Claim that 25 parties are taking part in Rivers council polls is false----PDP

(Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State chapter has described comments credited to Mr. Sam Woka, that about 25 political parties have so far indicated interest to participate in the Governor Rotimi 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, PDP in a statement by its state Chairman,  Mr Felix Obuah, expressed  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 surprised that Woka had 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 Amaechi, and has since continued to act in that regard, it noted that Mr Woka has only publicly exposed his loyalty and membership of APC which he tried to conceal over the years.

The PDP expressed 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 council polls is being laid by the Commission in which he served as Press Secretary.

“Woka  is only dancing naked in the sun as the problems associated with the council polls are insurmountable, such that the Commission and Amaechi cannot contend with. Woka does not have any evidence to substantiate his claim as popular opinion does not favour the conduct of the council election as suddenly proposed by Amaechi and the APC leaders.”

PDP called on the Permanent Secretary turned APC spokesman to use this period to concentrate on his commissioner’s hand over note, than make 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 was aware of such details of political parties’ participation in the planned election when RSIEC had not released any notice to that effect, the PDP urged 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, Mr Austin Opara, does not live in the state and will therefore, not know what happens in it, the PDP insists that Opara lives in the state as a senior citizen and was abreast of developments going on in the state, adding that it was Mr. Woka that had dislocated from true positions of affairs in the state because of his parochial understanding of emerging issues.

“Similarly, we view the comment made by a House member and chieftain of the APC, Golden Chioma, that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law regarding the conduct of council elections in the state was amended in 2007, as negating the position held by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Chidi Lloyd, who had earlier said the RSIEC amendment was done in 2011.”

PDP described the 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.

PDP called 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 council polls and or has indicated interest in contesting the election.