As the screening of aspirants for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairmanship and councilorship positions for the March 6, 2021 local government elections begins today, a councillorship aspirant for Oghareki ward 18 in Ethiope West Local Government Area, Innocent Oghenekohwodo Atueyi, has accused one of the leaders from the ward, Hon Precious Ajaino of name dropping former governor James Ibori to deny him of the party’s ticket.
Hon Ajaino is the current Direct-General of the Delta State Direct Labour Agency, DLA.
In a statement which was sent to NewsNet via electronic mail and signed by the Ethiope West Council Area PDP federal ward 9 chairman, Comrade Favour Eddedy and state ward 18 chairman, Mrs Christiana Takpor, Hon Ajaino was alleged to have circumvented the actual process of selecting Innocent Atueyi as the candidate to represent the ward which is federal ward 9.
In phone a chat with NewsNet, Atueyi accused Ajaino of using his influence to suppress the majority decision of the party leaders from the ward and appealed to the state PDP leadership to intervene for fairness and justice.
Atueyi said he remains the popular and accepted councilorship aspirant for the ward urging the party leadership at the local government area and state not to allow the selfish desire of one man to prevail.
He said, “With the procedure of selecting the candidate representing councillor of each ward by the guard line of the party PDP, after much consultations by leaders Chief A.D. Tietie (JP), Chief Moses Okwe, Hon. Clifford Okeh, Mrs Esther Okamomu, and others leaders of the ward including the federal ward chairman, Comr Favour Eddedy and state ward chairman Mrs Christiana Takpor undersigned and endorsed me as the next councillorship candidate representing the ward for the forthcoming election.
“All documents were summited by the chairman of the ward to the L.G.A chairman, but one of the leaders from the ward, Hon Precious Ajaino using his own power of influence to neglect the decision of the party guideline pick a candidate without their consent, saying that it is the instruction of our National Leader, Chief Onanefe Ibori.
“However, after many findings, it was a lie. Sir, the good people of federal ward 9 and state ward 18 are bringing to the hearing of the state PDP chairman, Olorogun Kingsley, that no form should be given out Mr Good Lucky Edokun for the purpose of fairness of our great party,” said Atueyi.
Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, Hon Precious Ajaino denied name dropping Ibori to deny Atueyi of the PDP councillorship ticket for Oghareki ward 18.
He claimed that six leaders including himself and five working committee members of the party from the ward voted to chose the councillorship candidate for the ward and in the end it was seven against four in favour of Good Lucky Edokun.
“It is laughable because the leaders they claimed that endorsed their Councillorship aspirant (Innocent Atueyi) apart from Chief A.D. Tietie, the others their names are not in the approved list from the state party headquarters in Asaba.
“These are the names of the approved leaders by the state party headquarters with the 5 working Committee of the party at the ward for the selection of the Councillor,1. Hon. Stephen Aghelegin 2. Prince Onos Umukoro 3. Chief A.D. Tietie 4. Hon Chief Precious Ajaino 5. Hon. Felix Keremu and 6. Mrs Grace Okwe,” said Ajaino.
