Osita Chidoka: Why I won’t attend PDP presidential primary

Osita Chidoka, a former minister of aviation, says he will not attend the special convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect a presidential candidate.

Chidoka, who is a member of a sub-committee for the PDP convention, announced his decision in a statement issued on Saturday.

The convention is ongoing in Abuja.

The former minister alleged that the congress for the election of national delegates did not take place in Idemili north LGA, where he had picked a form to contest as delegate.

According to him, Kingsley Chilaka, a professor who is the chairman of the national delegate congress committee, came to Anambra, but did not conduct congress in Idemili north LGA.

He also alleged that the committee submitted false results bearing the name of someone who did not purchase form for the congress.

“Strangely, the committee submitted a report and fake result for Idemili north LGA with the name of someone that did not purchase the form for the congress,” he said.

“It is time we look into the role of academics in the corruption in our electoral process. I will follow up on that soon.

“INEC’s report clearly stated that they did not observe any election in Idemili North LGA as they were at the venue till 7 pm.

“I submitted a petition to the party with a certified copy of the INEC report. I requested the party to reschedule and conduct the congress in line with the party rules and Electoral Act.

“I waited till yesterday, Friday, 27th May, for the party NWC to sit on the petition to no avail. Instead, the party went ahead and published the name from the fake result as national delegate.

“As a loyal party member who has remained a dedicated and prominent voice of the party since the party went into opposition, I have elected to stay away from the convention and will not pursue a legal redress against the party that I have given so much at grave personal risk and cost.

“I wish the party a successful convention.”