In view of the activities of various political groups in support of some individuals ahead of the 2015 general elections, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) warned the groups not to involve members of the party in their rallies henceforth.
A statement on Sunday by Olisa Metuh, PDP’s national publicity secretary, said: “whilst we recognise the inalienable right of citizens under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to freely associate and publicly express their support for persons of their choice, we however wish to restate in the strongest possible terms that no official of the PDP at any level should for any reason whatsoever be involved in such events until after the primaries.
“In this regard, all support groups struggling for legitimacy, supremacy or recognition should henceforth desist from trying to actualise such by using names of officials of the PDP.
“The PDP issues this as a last warning to all such groups and will not hesitate to take strict measures against any further infraction on its integrity and that of its officials.”
Metuh clarified that the leadership of the PDP recognises that party officials, as unbiased umpires, have a sacred duty to observe the dictates of internal democracy and as such remain neutral until the emergence of candidates through its primaries in line with the provisions of the PDP constitution.
“Finally the national leadership wishes to state that whilst it has absolutely nothing against the activities and programmes of such groups, PDP officials as administrators of the party should not be involved in any way until after the primaries,” Metuh said.
