A three-man appeal panel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday, arrived in Benin City to address grievances arising from last Saturday’s congress held across the 192 wards in Edo State to elect 576 adhoc delegates ahead of the party primaries.
The state chapter of the party also received members of the PDP National Assembly Appeal Screening Committee, headed by Mr. Emuobohwo Odje, and members of the State House of Assembly Appeal Screening Committee, headed by Mr. Beye Kingsley.
Addressing party members at the PDP Secretariat in Benin City, Chairman of the Edo PDP Ward Congresses Electoral Appeal Panel, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi, said the committee has commenced work, promising to ensure justice for all aggrieved parties.
Utazi said, “I am here this morning with other members of the Ward Congresses Electoral Appeal Panel of PDP for Edo State to interact with any aggrieved individual following the adhoc delegates election conducted on Saturday. We urge party members with issues of any sort and complaints as a consequence of that election to approach this panel to look into the matter.
“The bedrock of our party politics is fair hearing; fair hearing means that if somebody is aggrieved, he or she will approach the party appeal panel to look at his or her matter and at the end of the day, we will find a lasting solution to that and make sure everybody is happy.”
He continued: “We, as members of the PDP, are conscious of the challenges facing us. We are also conscious of the expectations of Nigerians of this great party and are rising to that occasion by making sure that we put our house in order so as to face those challenges.
“So, on behalf of the electoral appeal panel that is here today, we want to assure all party members in Edo under the PDP umbrella that we are here to listen to you and make sure that we ensure justice for all and at the end of the day, everybody will be happy.
“We want a united PDP in Edo, and that is why the PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, on behalf of the National Working Committee, sent three of us here from different backgrounds and states to look at those issues. We are waiting to receive petitions; put it in writing and bring it to Edo PDP Secretariat.”
Reassuring the timely hearing of the petitions, the panel chair noted, “When we collect this petition today, if you are timely about the submission today, we will commence listening to the petition today with a view to address those issues. Once we tidy everything here today, we will give our report to the national headquarters of our party in Abuja.
“We hope that by the time we are through, the party here in Edo will remain united, solid and indivisible.”
In a similar vein, the Chairman of the National Assembly Appeal Screening Committee, Mr. Emuobohwo Odje said, “Our job arises from what has been done before, and from the report we have seen so far, we have not received any petition, that means we have unity in the party.
“We are very grateful and happy to have that report. That means that the party is moving forward.”
Also, Mr. Beye Kingsley, said the committee is in Benin to consider petitions arising from the screening exercise of the state house of assembly aspirants, noting that they are yet to receive any petition.
Earlier, the Edo PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi noted that the party is committed to ensuring that all members are united so as to emerge victorious in forthcoming elections, urging aggrieved members to approach the panel to seek justice.
