ENUGU CSOS CONDEMN EDEOGA’S HARASSMENT BY SEN. CHIMAROKE DURING PDP PRIMARIES, SAYS GODFATHERISM MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO RESURFACE





Enugu: The Enugu State Network of Civil Society Organizations (ENSNET) has condemned in its entirety what it termed as a display of political rascality and intolerance at the just concluded PDP primaries to determine the party’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The statement was made on Friday through the group’s Chairperson- Comrade Emmanuel Acha in Enugu while reacting to the video circulating on social media alleging the reprimand of one of the governorship aspirants- Hon. Chijioke Edeoga by the serving senator Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani representing Enugu East senatorial district at the national assembly during the proceedings of the primaries in Enugu. Based on the news from different quarters, the governorship aspirant was rebuked by the senator because he dared to declare his interest to contest among other aspirants against the senator’s anointed candidate and political arrangements.
The group while pleading for calm, decorum and respect for the rule of law by all parties involved in the imbroglio also reminded that Nigeria is still paddling on the tenet of democracy. Citizens, and by extension members of political parties have the constitutional right to vie for whatever political post they deemed fit. The years of directionless political godfatherism, imposition of candidates in elections, and financial inducement of delegates and voters should not be allowed to resurface in the current political dispensation rather these ugly past societal menace should be allowed to rest in the grave of history. After all, the task to decide who becomes the next governor of Enugu state solely rests on the shoulders of good people of Enugu state (Ndi Enugu).
While commending the party for the peaceful conduct of its primaries in Enugu state, the apex civil society group also advised that internal party democracy should be entrenched in the affairs of political parties in the state and nation at large. This is a pathway towards achieving credible, free and fair general elections in 2023.
Signed:
Comrade Emmanuel Acha
Chairperson