THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State on Thursday described the report of the crisis in the party as a ruse being sponsored by the opposition.
The party said there was no plan to impose any candidate on the party, saying its rising popularity had been a source of worries to the ruling party in the state.
The party in its reaction to the report in some national dailies (Nigerian Tribune not inclusive) described the allegation as baseless, false, neither here or there.
According to a statement by its director research and documentation, Achadu Dickson, the party said it is now more concerned about the State and National Assembly elections.
The PDP in its statement acknowledged that Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, former Governor of the state remains the leader of the party, but described as mischief taken too far by those scared of the PDP by alleging that he wanted to install his son as the next governor of the state.
The PDP commended Idris, whose efforts at rebranding the party has brought in former members like, Former Acting Governor, Clarence Olafemi, Chief John Odawn, Senator Nicholas Ugbane, and others back to the party.
The Kogi State PDP said its membership rank had swelled tremendously in the last few months, stating that it continued to receive mass decampees from the opposition parties to its fold.
According to the party, no fewer than 18 aspirants of proven integrity and with the capacity to win the next governorship election had indicated their interest to vie for governorship primaries of the State, likely to hold between August and September in 2019.
The statement read, “The writers in an attempt to create disaffection for the party using blackmail, a plan their write up failed to achieve, stooped so low to have singled out a particular aspirant of the party all in an attempt to score a cheap point.
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“They, however, didn’t disagree with the individual’s capacity and constitutional rights to aspire as governor, rather choose the blackmail option. For the benefit of the doubt, the children of former governor Ibrahim Idris have a remain right to aspire, with the electorates left to decide their fate.
“Never has the PDP in the State been this united, the party became this strong by ensuring that every stakeholder of the party partakes in decision making, but the fear of the opposition and mischief makers as the sinister motive behind the malicious publication”.
On the eastern senatorial district election, the PDP pointed out that at no time has Mohammed Audu, son of late Prince Abubakar Audu who recently joined the party got an automatic ticket but said he is, however, free to run the Senate race alongside others who may be interested if he so wishes.
The PDP, therefore, urged its members to disregard the “misleading report”, saying it was sponsored by those afraid of the PDP making a rebound to win all State and National Assembly seats in forthcoming 2019 elections and take over Lord Lugard House.