National president of Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Kehinde Taiga, has lampooned Chief Ighoyota Amori, chairman of DC-23 over the screening of governorship aspirants from Delta central senatorial district of the state.
Taiga, a foremost human rights activist and a son of Urhoboland told Emerald News on phone that the screening being orchestrated by Amori’s DC-23 is illegal and against the constitutional provision of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Taiga told our correspondent that every Urhobo man has right to vie for the governorship election, noting that it is only the political party under which they are contesting that has power to screen any aspirant but not a pressure group as DC-23.
He said: “DC-23 has no right to screen aspirants. As a human tights advocate I’m opposed to the screening. In CDHR, we protect people’s right. The constitution of Nigeria gives room for pressure groups to exist but does not permit them to violate people’s rights.
“DC-23 screening has no constitutional backing. No group has right except the party. It is the party under which they are contesting that can do that and not DC-23. What Amori is doing will cause serious division and disharmony in Urhoboland and the consequence will be catastrophic.
“Some aspirants have already started saying that if they mistakenly talk of screening them out, there will be trouble in Urhoboland. DC-23 is a selfish group. It has a selfish, self-orchestrated agenda.
“Why is the DC-23 not screening candidates from other parties. Will APC not field candidates for the governorship. The name is DC-23 which is Delta Central not DC-PDP 2023. Why is it inviting only PDP aspirants? With this we know it has no good objective.
“DC-23 is established to satisfy certain personal objective. I need to restate the fact that every Deltan has right to contest an election in the state. I condemn the screening in its entirety, it is unconstitutional and illegal. Every citizen of the state has right to contest for the governorship of the state.
“It is the political party that has right to screen aspirants and not a pressure group. It is an attrmpt that will be regretted at the end of the day. What happens to those who refuse to turn up for the screening, will they be barred from contesting the primary election? Amori is treading on a keg of gunpowder.
“What Amori should do is to organise a debate and bring all the aspirants to talk and explain their manifestoes. The two UPU factions are not part of the DC-23, so who are they representing. It is to make money for themselves. They are looking for people they can manipulate and those who will do their bidding.”
