by Azubuike Azikiwe
National and state assembly aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, have threatened to defect to another political party if their party fails to refund them the nomination and screening fees paid before the controversial primaries of last year.
The aspirants, who failed to secure the party’s ticket for the March 28 and April 11 elections, have warned that they will leave the ruling party with their supporters, if they are not promptly re-imbursed.
The aspirants, operating as ‘PDP Aspirants Forum, Anambra State chapter, said they were demanding refund of their money because there were no primaries conducted by the party, adding that those being put forward as candidates of the party in the state had declared themselves winners.
A statement issued by the chairman of the steering committee of the aspirants’ forum, Chukwuemeka Orjiakor and secretary, Godwin Uchime, expressed regret that despite the fact that the leadership of the party knew that there were no primaries, they went ahead to pocket the money paid by the aspirants and pretended as if nothing happened.
The statement read: “PDP has submitted names of those it felt had deep pockets as the candidates for the senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly in the three senatorial zones of the state.”
“Those who were given tickets were predetermined by the PDP. Even though the nomination forms were bought for N4.5 million for senate, N2.5 million for House of Representatives and N1.2 million for House of Assembly, with our contact addresses, we are shocked that PDP has not deemed it proper to invite the aspirants for a meeting to take a decision on the matter.”
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