By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Cross River State, Amb. Wilfred Bonse, has withdrawn from contesting the primary election, asking the party to refund the N21 million he used to purchase the nomination and expression of interest forms.
Bonse, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, linked his demand to what he called “unfair treatment” from the party and denying him participation in the governorship primary holding today (Wednesday).
Although the party had said the fee for nomination and expression of interest forms is non-refundable, Bonse said PDP must refund him because it refused to disqualify or clear him to contest in the party’s primary election.
“I am requesting the party to refund the sum of N21 million I paid for the expression of interest and nomination forms I bought.
“If I had, for instance, been given a fair chance to participate in the primary, and I lost, I would not have had an issue. But then, I am being stonewalled at every point.
“A Board of Trustees (BOT) member has given letter to PDP, urging them to reconsider my issue in order not for the party to lose governorship election in the state, considering my pedigree.
“But it has fallen on deaf ears and the time is very close.
“The new Electoral Act provides for clearance to be done seven days to the primary and my name to be sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“So, my understanding of what is happening is not something I probably want to say on camera, but it is obvious that certain persons are seriously intimidated by my candidacy.
“They are playing some underhand games to try to stall me from participating in the primary.
“But Cross River is bigger than any person. It is also bigger than any party. So we move,” he said.
He disclosed that he would be seeking his ambition on another more “commodious political political party platform.”
Bonse added that he had also made his request known in a letter submitted to the party’s National Chairman Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, which was received and acknowledged at the national secretariat in Abuja.
In the letter, he said he was withdrawing to contest the election on the platform of another party, as all avenues to seek justice in PDP proved abortive, in an obvious attempt to deny him participation in the primary.
“Having exhausted all avenues of consultation and appeal within the party without success, I am withdrawing my ambition to contest for gubernatorial election for Cross River State on the platform of PDP.
“I am hereby defecting from the PDP to another political party with my followers who are in their hundreds along with their followers by extension.
“I had hope in view of the PDP ‘New Generation Operation Rescue Nigeria, Join the PDP Mantra for a level-playing field that will see the emergence of the best man for the job.
“An individual that will swing power from the hands of the ruling APC to PDP in Cross River State, but going by my experience. I was obviously wrong.
“That is why I requested for a full refund of all sums paid by me in respect of my botched expression of interest and nomination forms for participating in the primaries of the party totalling N21,000,000,” the letter read.
He also copied the party’s National Organising Secretary, Financial Secretary, National Publicity Secretary and Deputy National Secretary.
Asked if he was invited to the party’s screening, Bonse said “yes.”
He, however, added that at the point of screening, he was requested to provide his receipts of a tax clearance certificate, voters card and birth certificate with court attestation, which he presented.
He said the screening committee also requested his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, which he explained that he had already requested and NYSC assured him it would be processed as soon as its portal was opened.
“But they had hung upon that particular point, just kept us down to the point where it is becoming very ridiculous to say the very least,” Bonse said.
