The recent N15 million bribe scandal said to be perpetrated by some National Assembly members from the State in order to get automatic second term ticket for 2019 has backfired as the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Uche Secondus has advised the lawmakers from the party to perform well in their respective mandates or forget the Party ticket, adding that there will be no automatic ticket for the serving lawmakers from the party.
The Sensor authoritatively gathered that some lawmakers who are desperate of returning to the National Assembly had allegedly approached the national leadership of the Party with the sum of N15 million each, to secure a return ticket.
The action of the lawmakers which gave them confidence that if they succeed in bribing the party leadership, will make them stroll back to the Apo villa even when they had made poor representation, it was further learnt, attracted mixed reactions from the people of the State who condemned the move.
However, Secondus while addressing the lawmakers in Abuja weekend, stressed that political office holders have a major task of boosting the party’s popularity, especially at the grassroots.
He noted that while this will prepare the party ahead of 2019 general elections, it will definitely count for those seeking either for their current or another office.
Making reference to some lawmakers, the Rivers State born PDP National Chairman particularly acknowledged the efforts of Mrs. Onyemaechi Mrakpor of Aniocha/Oshimidi Federal Constituency, Delta State and Senator Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, as well as few others from the North and South West States, whose “resounding” performances, he said should be emulated by others.
Reacting to the automatic tickets story, the Akwa Ibom State PDP Publicity Secretary, Barr. Iniobong Ememobong, said in a press statement that it is the handiwork of “a media aide of an intended beneficiary of this wishful thinking.
According to the statement made available to The Sensor, Ememobong said, “import of such automatic ticket will mean that there will be no nomination for candidates seeking election into the National Assembly across the country, except in constituencies where the national legislator is not a member of our party. This scenario is not the desire of the national leadership of our party.
“It has been our culture, as a responsible political party, since our inception to conduct credible nomination primaries for the purpose of selecting candidates into all offices and nothing exists contemporary to suggest that the party is intending to negate or deviate from this time tasted process of candidate selection.