PDP realises N107m from C’River LG poll aspirants

 

No fewer than 766 aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have paid N107m for intent forms to contest the 214 available positions in the local government election in Cross River State.

Out of this number, 130 aspirants indicated interest for the chairmanship tickets, while 760 are jostling to occupy the 196 seats at legislative councils.

This came just as the party’s stakeholders in Ikom Local Government Area were kicking against the alleged plan to impose Mr. Sandy Ojong as the chairmanship candidate. They insisted that due process must be followed to allow the grass roots people pick candidates of their choice.

But the Chairman and Caucus Leader of the Ikom chapter of PDP, Mr. Marshal Okongor, denied the allegation, saying members of the caucus would follow Governor Liyel Imoke’s directive to conduct credible primaries.

The council poll, which will be conducted by the Cross River Independent Electoral Commission on September 21, will be held in the 18 LGAs of the state.

The Electoral Guidelines, published by the PDP for the primaries, mandated chairmanship aspirants to pay N500, 000 each to collect Expression of Intent forms from the party.

Those for the councillorship positions were expected to pay N100, 000 each to pick forms from the party’s secretariat. However, all female aspirants were exempted from paying any fee.

The party’s Publicity Secretary in Cross River, Mr. Joe Bisong, confirmed that entries for collection of “Expression of Intent” forms for the elections ended May 13 for all aspirants on the PDP platform.

Bisong said, “So far, we have about 890 aspirants that collected the forms to run various offices at the councils, and out of this number, 130 aspirants are gunning for chairmanship slots and 760 for councillors.”