A major contender in the 2023 governorship race in Delta State, Olorogun Fred Majemite, says he will continue to pursue his ambition up to the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2022.
Majemite said this on Tuesday in his reaction to the first report of the Delta Central 2023 (DC-23) Screening Committee which on Monday named five governorship aspirants that scaled its screening hurdles from a pool of thirteen.
In a statement by Ovie Edomi, Campaign Manager and Head of Media/Public Communication, Majemite Campaign Organisation, Majemite said, “The report of the Screening Committee set up by DC-23 which was presented yesterday(Monday) does not represent the wishes of the majority of Delta Central and Deltans in general.
“To us, Olorogun Barrister Fred Majemite is the most qualified, so we fault the Screening Committee for coming up with this script called report which does not reflect public expectations.
“Majemite, who is a frontline aspirant for the 2023 governorship election in Delta State, will continue to pursue his ambition and the campaign organization will drive the process to a logical conclusion.
“Once again, we honestly reject the report of the lobby group screening committee. Let it be placed on record that Majemite is a man of peace and would continue to reach out to the people to promote his manifesto in preparation for party primaries in 2022.
“Furthermore, Majemite believes in our party the PDP and its leaders in the state as well as at the national level. He believes they have the final say on who becomes the flag bearer of the party. Till they so decide, we shall continue to seek the support of all, including the members of Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, the apex Urhobo Cultural group and other unions that have men and women of undiluted integrity.”
Continuing, Majemite in the statement took a swipe at Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari’s led DC-23 Screening Committee for presenting a report that was laced with bias, hidden agenda and skewed in favour of a particular governorship aspirant.
“The disturbing thing which equally makes the DC-23 Screening Committee’s report unacceptable is that the Committee listed five persons without stating the criteria for selecting the five.
“One expects a report of this nature if it must be credible and acceptable to follow some procedures that show transparency, fairness, objectivity, constitutional democracy and respect for human rights.
“For instance, the Screening Committee’s term of reference includes picking an Urhobo aspirant using certain criteria. If we may ask how did the Committee rate and determine the financial strength of the aspirants? Did the Screening Committee equally carry out a poll to know the popularity/acceptance rating of the Urhobo aspirants by the generality of Deltans? How did the Committee measure the capabilities of the aspirants? How were their health status and fitness determined? Equally astonishing is how an aspirant who attended the screening only once out of three stages of the screening exercise made the list.
“Unfortunately, the Committee left right-thinking people in doubt of their capacity to do a thorough job or were they playing a written script as was being speculated? Again, we were not surprised because one of the Committee members had confided in a respected Cleric in the land that the Screening Committee was being teleguided hence the inclusion of an aspirant who attended the screening exercise once. The Screening Committee member further told the notable cleric that the aspirant who attended only once but made the list of five will not make the last three.
“At the end of the screening exercise, we will not be surprised that the name that has been speculated as to the one the Committee is working for, will emerge. At that point, Urhobos and Deltans will realize that we have all been taken for granted.
“We expected the Screening Committee to invite members of the press to the screening exercise including civil rights organisations but it was not so all through the entire exercises. This action and the eventual report which has been predicted will only strengthen Olorogun Barrister Fred Majemite the more.
“Whatever yardstick used to judge the pedigree and eligibility of those shortlisted remain an internal intrigue of the lobby group, and it is completely rejected as long as the process lack depth, transparency, fairness, objectivity and democratic tendencies.
“We, therefore, urge all supporters and political associates of Olorogun Barrister Fred Majemite in Delta Central Senatorial District and across Delta State and beyond to keep hope alive. Power comes from God, so together we shall by the grace of the one that gives power prevail at the party primaries next year,” Majemite said in the statement.
