We Bought Forms Of N500,000, We Should Be Compensated, Councillorship Aspirants Cries Out
…say party primary was not free and fair
..I sold my property to buy form – aspirant
By Victoria Bassey
A Group of aggrieved PDP Councillorship aspirants during the 2020 LG election in the state have called on the Governor of the State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel to compensate them.
Coming under the aegis of Aggrieved Concillorship Aspirants 2020, the group made their position and grievances known during a meeting which took place at Olympic Sitout on Friday 12th March, 2021. Members of the group gathered to pour out their hearts, bemoaning that they have been ignored after they bought forms worth N500,000.
The leader of the group, Elder Akan Okon said “we are grassrooters from different wards and villages, we are also strong members and major stakeholders of our great party in our different wards, we have followers so it is our place to keep the hope of our followers alive so that they would remain committed to the party and support the government of His Excellency, Deacon Udom Emmanuel”.
Elder Okon stated during a brief interview with our reporter that letters have been sent out to the party hierarchy seeking for audience to meet with the leaders of the party to chart a new course for the party, but they have been ignored
“We have sent letters to the party and have been given appointments but we were never attended to which is why we have called on the press to help reach out to the Governor. I have told all the Aggrieved Aspirants not to see themselves as failures but rather should take it that the system didn’t favour them at that particular time, and with what we are pursuing, we believe the system will now favour us because the government and the party is a platform to accommodate, compensate and reward us as loyal members of the party and supporters of this administration. If some members are appointed to be members of Boards and Commissions, some appointed to be PAs and SAs to the Governor and also Inter-ministerial Direct Labour jobs be created for the members of the forum, it won’t be bad. As a matter of fact, it will go a long way for them because they bought forms of N500,000, did Tax Clearance of 150,000 with Consultations involved as well”.
Akan Okon established the fact that the group isn’t out to fight the government but rather to support the administration.
During the meeting an Aspirant also gave his experience of how he sold his properties to purchase the form as he was chosen to represent his village but he wasn’t favoured.
Another member of the group Jephthah Etukesen Nathaniel also stated: “I am a member of the Aggrieved Group of Councillors who bought forms for N500,000. I am from Awa, Ward 3 in Onna Local Government Area and I must say the party primary (nomination process) was not free and fair which is why we are aggrieved. For three times we have sent letters to the party and three times we have been given appointment but we still haven’t been given a chance to air out our grievances”.
He further stated: “We are gathering today to see how we can reach out to our father (the governor) who is a man that understands his children and I believe he’ll listen to us”.
Nathaniel also pointed out that some of the members of the groups borrowed money to buy the forms and represent their wards while some took loans from banks, hence the government should come to their aid and listen to their plights as they have gathered together not to oppose the government but rather to give support to the Udom-led administration.
Members of the group aired out their opinions on how to be seen and heard by the Governor of the state and it was resolved that a communique will be sent out, stating the needs of the group and to get direct attention from the Governor so as help resolve their plights and help their businesses return to normal.
