Prince Tonye Princewill, a governorship aspirant in Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State has warned the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party of endorsing what he called the ‘compromised’ ward congress held in the state Saturday.
The congress was boycotted by 16 aspirants, including Pincewill, who also criticised Mrs. Patience Jonathan for meddling in the affairs of the party, to favour, former minister of state for education, Nyesom Wike.
“The congress had already been done. The panel had already been settled and the electoral umpire had already been compromised. All their planning was in vain. For them the congress was just an opportunity for the masses to fight and destroy things. They do not care if Rivers people die as long as they win. We do. We care; and that’s why we stayed clear,” Princewill said about the boycott.
“The Rivers State Wike led PDP Exco, don’t realize we are several steps ahead of them; none of the key aspirants were involved in the congresses. That should be a signal for the party. Our silence will speak louder than our words. In the end, PDP will either sit up and address this sham or they will loose us and loose Rivers state. Nothing is impossible”.
“Our people say the difference between a small snake and a big worm is teeth. Neither Amaechi nor Wike will deliver Rivers state because even the grass will reject them. It’s time to start afresh. It’s time for renewal. And all of their money and more will never change that.”
Princewill nevertheless still pledged a resounding commitment to the success and re-election of President Jonathan’s administration, but he warned the National PDP executives “to avoid anything that will distract Mr. President and resolve the Rivers State issue, before it gets out of hand.”
In the meantime, Rivers PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah saw nothing wrong in the congress.
He applauded the peaceful Congress and commended party members for turning out en masse.
He said the successful and peaceful conduct of the ward congress has proved the party right that those who were calling for its postponement are agents of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who are moles in the PDP, “acting out the script of their pay master and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.”
Obuah was confident of PDP victory in all elections in Rivers State.
The Chairman of the Rivers State ward congress, Dr Yakubo Gambo also expressed satisfaction with the peaceful and successful conduct of the exercise in all the 319 wards in the state.