Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has been criticised for doing “coronation before ceremony”.
The critic, The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, said his recent endorsement of a sole candidate for the 2015 Enugu State governorship election was wrong.
In a release signed by its executive director of operations, Dr Rotimi Adeola, and made available yesterday, the pro-democracy group described the action of the governor and his cronies as an “Ebola” that is fast spreading to other parts of the country with “serious dire consequences on the tenets of democracy”.
Adeola further cautioned that such practice must be checked before it eats up the entire democratic space and perpetuate some highly placed persons in authority for more than eight years.
According to him, the said endorsement is an obvious indication that Chime and his like were ready to replicate same at the polls.
“With this endorsement we are left in no doubt that Chime is set to rig the general elections to favour his anointed. If they have started imposing at this stage, imagine what they will do at the general elections?” the statement read in part.
It however advised the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to look into “a kangaroo endorsement” with a view to reversing it and promoting the institution of legality to deepen internal democracy in the party.
The ruling PDP has promptly responded to such criticisms by announcing, on Oct. 9, that it had cancelled endorsement of candidates by the party’s officials. It was part of decisions reached at the National Working Committee of the Party.
The order or cancellation is not likely to have any effect, however. Governors’ anointed candidates will eventually emerge winners at the official primaries.
