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As politicians prepare for the 2015 general election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to disqualify any aspirant caught offering bribes to delegates to secure its ticket to run for elective office.
The party’s Zone 3 Chairman in Kaduna State, Mr. Joseph Gumbari, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Jos yesterday that a special committee had been set up to monitor aspirants and report any unwholesome attitude to the party headquarters.
“We have resolved to field only popular, acceptable and saleable candidates in 2015 and shall not tolerate anyone sharing money or using any other dirty tactics to influence the primary elections.
“The sanctions for bribe-offering aspirants will be very severe; the minimum is disqualification from the race.
“The party can also suspend or expel the erring party from its fold so as to cleanse the system,’’ he said.
He urged rich party faithful to use money that they would have used in bribing people to get the party’s ticket to develop the PDP in order to strengthen it to win elections.
“Wealthy members should rather contribute toward a stronger fold so that PDP will be repositioned to continue to be the leading political outfit that it already is. Such monies, if contributed to the pool, will be receipted.
“When one is identified as being an asset to the party, it can help the chances of getting the ticket because members will see you as one that is committed to ensuring progress.
“You cannot hide your money and use it to buy delegates because PDP has since passed that stage,’’ he added.
He said the state chapter of the party had initiated periodic meetings during which party officials would be sensitised to the need to de-emphasise the greed for monetary rewards and promote service to the people.
“Again, we have seen many instances where rich aspirants are rejected in spite of their money. We have also seen many instances when so-called anointed aspirants are thrown out by the delegates.
“We must encourage more of that to instil discipline, as well as internal democracy and cohesion in the people,’’ he said.
Gumbari also spoke on recent allegations by Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) national leader, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, that the southern part of the state had gained nothing from its loyalty to the PDP since 1999.
“I feel strongly against what he said. I think he was just exercising his right to freedom of speech as allowed in a democracy.
“Many people have commented on that and I share their opinions that the allegation is not worth worrying about.
“The PDP governments at the federal and state levels have built many roads and bridges; our people have risen to the pinnacle of their chosen fields. We now have a state university with the vice chancellor coming from the southern zone.
“The PDP has made it possible for us to produce the governor of Kaduna who died last year. We never dreamt of that, but the party gave it to us against all odds,’’ he said.
According to him, the party has initiated a mechanism to assess its members in appointed or elected positions to ensure that people benefited from such positions.
“We particularly will take interest in the relationship between those in offices and the electorate. Gone are the days when elected politicians disappear after victory. We shall no longer accept that,’’ he said.
He explained that the PDP would remain the dominant party in the state, and expressed delight that it recently received defectors from other political groups, including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and CPC.
He also added that the yet-to-be registered All Progressives Congress (APC) would never be a threat to the PDP, stressing that his party was “well rooted’’ in Kaduna State and therefore had no fear.
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