Opposition, civil society and others are denouncing the governor.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has come out in strong defence of one its governor’s, Godswill Akpabio, who confessed to rigging the party’s primary election in the northwestern senatorial district of the state in 2007.

However, opposition parties and civil society organizations expressed outrage over the governor’s action and confession, saying in sane societies and democracies, Mr. Akpabio should have been kicked out of office.

Mr. Akpabio had confessed that he manipulated PDP primary election in the district in favour of Aloysius Etuk in 2007.

The governor, who made the open confession during the “Good Governance Tour” led by the Information Minister, Labaran Maku, to the state, said, “The people of Ikono and Ini (LGA) from 1960 have never produced a senator. I used my own hand to strike out the name of the person who has won before, and I said it is important for me to give that region a senator in 2007, and I produced Senator Aloysius Etok for you; that is where he comes from.”

Mr. Etuk, who subsequently won the main election that year, is currently in his second term in the Senate. During his first term, the senator served as the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation of the upper legislative chamber.

PDP defends its own

The PDP spokesman, Olisa Metuh, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that the video clip in which the governor said he manipulated the primary election was doctored; adding that it was an attempt to ridicule the governor who he said is a great and loyal member of the party.

“We have already raised the alarm that some people are targeting Gov Akpabio and put him to public ridicule. This video, which from all intent and purpose is doctored evidence, is proof of what we have said before,” Mr. Metuh said.

” The video, I must say, however, is a poor attempt at ridiculing one of the giants of the party. We are happy with his performance in Akwa Ibom State and he is a great and loyal member of the PDP.”

Civil society reacts

The Alliance for Credible Election in its reaction, said Mr. Akpabio’s action and confession is a reflection of the loss of value in the Nigerian society.

According to Emma Ezeazu, its General Secretary, “They are being audacious and shameless. They feel election rigging is a thing of glory, they think it is something to celebrate. That is the kind of orientation our leaders have. It shows the level of the loss of value in our society. They don’t care that they have being trampled on those values. They celebrate negative values.”

He said the Akwa Ibom governor cannot be punished by INEC because it was an internal affair of the PDP.

Mr. Ezeazu, however, said the electoral process could be more democratic if parties avoid the imposition of candidates, adding that his organisation would continue to urge them to do so.

In his view, an Abuja-based lawyer, Kabiru Dodo, noted, “The comment by the governor is unbecoming of a person of his standing. The essence of conducting party primaries is to select leaders that can provide leadership and promote good governance, so where one comes from matters not.

“The goal should be to ensure the person is competent. So for him to say he replaced a genuine winner with another person simply to appease a certain community is totally wrong.”

Asked if the aspirant whose name was struck out by the governor could reclaim his mandate six years after, Mr. Dodo said “If the person whose name was struck out decides to challenge that action in court I believe he will be successful because the issue of time lapse does not arise. The Electoral Act has not made provision for a time frame within which litigation can commence on a pre-election matter.”

src ::http://premiumtimesng.com/news/127091-pdp-defends-akpabio-over-election-rigging-video.html

Instead if being a "loyal member" to the stupid party, he needs to be a "loyal member" to his people and promote free election.

These people are so local, no wonder the country is in the dark.