Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Two governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kenebi Okoko and Ndutimi Alaibe, have lampooned the Chairman, Cleopas Moses, over his alleged partisan role in the primary election holding today.
Moses had, in a statement, raised the alarm, alleging that Okoko and Alaibe were involved in vote-buying and attempting to hoodwink delegates through fraudulent bank alerts.
“We got a very disturbing report of how two aspirants are sending fake bank alerts to some delegates to make them vote for them on Tuesday.
“This is desperation taken too far. We feel that if they are popular then that is not the road to travel. Allowing them access to the delegates like others is to sell their manifesto and not engage in what is clearly vote-buying,” Moses said in the statement.
The PDP chairman, who described the action as a political fraud, noted that it is the height of desperation and called the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practises Commission (ICPC) to investigate the duo.
But Okoko, in a statement, expressed disappointment that Moses, who ordinarily should be neutral in the process to elect the party’s candidate, has embarked on a mission to destroy the party.
While denying the allegation of using fraudulent banks alert to hoodwink delegates, he absolved Governor Seriake Dickson from the utterances of Moses and pleaded with the former to call the chairman to order.
“If anyone is trying to hoodwink the delegates, it is Moses who has shown gross irresponsibly in handling the PDP affairs in the state. Our advice to him is to thoroughly search his conscience and retrace his steps where he lost his path in the interest of our party,” he said.
Alaibe, in a statement, signed by the Administrative Secretary of the Timi Alaibe Campaign Organisation, Seiyefa Brisibe, distanced himself from attempts to hoodwink delegates and called on Moses to provide evidence or apologise.
Meanwhile, tension is building in Yenagoa ahead of the PDP primary election over intelligence reports that there has been influx of political thugs from neighbouring Rivers and Delta states. Security sources said discreet investigation has commenced as a crack team of detectives has been deployed to various parts of the state to fish out the hoodlums.
A security source said the intelligence report formed part of deliberation at the emergency security meeting which held at the Baylesa State Government House.