One of the aspirants for the governorship seat in Cross River State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Emmanuel Ibeshi, has described the alleged withdrawal of his clearance to contest election as an affront on democracy.
Ibeshi made this remark in a statement he issued to counter his disqualification, just as he vowed to seek redress through legal means.
He said he was qualified to run for the office of the governor of Cross River State having met all the criteria contained in the constitution of Nigeria, the stipulations of the Electoral Act as amended, and the constitution and guidelines of the PDP.
“There is no valid ground for my disqualification, and I have been provided no such ground. Indeed there has been no attempt by the party to justify or even explain its action in cancelling the clearance certificate earlier issued to me to contest the elections,” he said.
His statement reads in full:
PURPORTED WITHDRAWAL OF MY CLEARANCE TO CONTEST THE PDP GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARIES IS A MISCHIEVOUS AFFRONT ON DEMOCRACY
In the early hours of this morning my attention was drawn to a publication from the PDP National headquarters announcing, among other things, that the clearance earlier issued to me to contest the gubernatorial primaries of the party in Cross River state, has been withdrawn. No reason was given for the withdrawal of the clearance certificate. The intent and effect of that withdrawal is that I stand disqualified to contest the gubernatorial primaries of the party.
Let me state here that I am qualified to run for the office of Governor of Cross River State by the criteria contained in the constitution of Nigeria, by the stipulations of the Electoral Act as amended, and by the constitution and guidelines of the PDP. There is no valid ground for my disqualification, and I have been provided no such ground. Indeed there has been no attempt by the party to justify or even explain its action in cancelling the clearance certificate earlier issued to me to contest the elections. I was never informed of any allegation against me that may justify the withdrawal of the clearance certificate earlier issued to me.
Let me provide some background to this matter for the completeness of the information available to you. I, like all other aspirants for office of governor in PDP in the South South geo-political zone, was screened by the Zonal Screening Committee set up by the party, sitting in Port Harcourt. This committee was given a devious agenda – to disqualify all aspirants contesting for the gubernatorial ticket for Cross River state, thus leaving the incumbent, Senator Ben Ayade, as the only aspirant for the party ticket in Cross River. We understand that Governor Ayade was particularly irked that he was the only governor in the South South Zone facing opposition in the primaries for the party ticket. The Zonal Screening Committee, obedient to these devious instructions, disqualified all aspirants for the gubernatorial ticket from Cross River state, except Governor Ben Ayade.
I successfully challenged my disqualification before the PDP Screening Appeals Committee sitting in Abuja. The Appeal Committee, as the last screening mechanism, found no justification for my disqualification and accordingly cleared me and duly issued me with a certificate to that effect. With that outcome I returned to the field where I have been on a state tour campaigning among the delegates for votes. Interestingly, at this point, only myself and Governor Ayade were cleared to contest for the governorship ticket of the party in the state.
I am therefore shocked that the very early hours of Saturday, 29th September, the party came out with the statement announcing my disqualification, and stating that my clearrance certificate is cancelled.
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I am a member of the PDP. I have served the party as the first National Publicity Secretary. I paid my dues. There is nothing to disqualify me from contesting for the party ticket for any office.
I am ready to contest my disqualification, and seek such remedies as are available to me under the law of this country. A political party cannot sell forms to me to contest for party ticket, collect huge amounts of money from me, induce me to spend money on campaigns for delegates, and at the 11th hour turn round, without reason, to withdraw the clearance certificate earlier issued me, and disqualify me from the contest. Having induced me into such expenditure of energy, time and money, the party cannot renege at will, and to my detriment.
It is also my contention that once I have been cleared and issued a certificate, it will amount to a breach of my right to fair hearing for the certificate to be withdrawn without first confronting me with the reasons for that withdrawal, and affording me an opportunity to respond or defend myself.
The main issue behind all this drama is that Governor Ayade, having ran an extremely incompetent government, is afraid of being defeated if the people are given a chance freely to choose between me and him. I have presented the people of this state with a clear and detailed blue print to rescue the state from the abyss that Governor Ayade has plunged it in the last 4 years. I am also the only aspirant remaining in the contest that was in the field mobilising the people and campaigning. You would have noticed that save for some billboards in Calabar, Governor Ayade has not presented himself to any audience to seek re-election as PDP candidate. The primaries are tomorrow.
I will at this stage consult with my team on our next steps, even as I have instructed my solicitors to seek appropriate remedies in the situation. This is not about Emmanuel Ibeshi. This is about rescuing Cross River state. It is our collective duty; I am only providing the leadership. At the end, Governor Ayade will ultimately face the people of Cross River State to give account and seek renewal of his mandate. The people shall make a decision on this.
Fundamental to democracy is the right of the people to freely choose their leaders. Where a political party, like the PDP, refuses the people the opportunity to choose, the mandate to govern then becomes a captive mandate, and that is not democracy. Actions like this signify impunity and absence of internal democracy within the PDP. We owe our nation, and future generations, the duty to guard our democracy, and insist that all processes be conducted within the bounds of law. The nation will certainly be lost if we continue to pander to the caprices of men, however powerful, in the conduct of democratic and other public affairs. The protection of our democracy has become a duty for every citizen.
Thank you.
HONOURABLE EMMANUEL IBESHI
