Edo Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Dan Orbih, Advocates For psychiatric Tests

NAN reports that the chairman also called for higher academic qualification as part of the criteria to choose a gubernatorial candidates. He urged the National Assembly to review the relevant laws and raise the qualification requirement of political aspirants. According to him, aspirants must have a certified and verifiable medical certificate that would ascertain their mental and psychological state of health before contesting any election. Orbih, who said the call, became imperative following the negative attitude and conduct of some sitting governors, especially on issues that bothered on the lives of the people they govern.  He insisted that the lawmakers need to review and up the academic qualifications for the office of the governor in order to bring respect and decorum to the exalted position.

He also condemned the fact that some governors use unguarded comments while criticising issues, noting that any political office holder who cannot control his temperament to accommodate positive criticism is not fit to be a governor. The chairman reiterated that the beauty of democracy is the freedom of speech and association, adding that in a democratic dispensation, criticism is viewed as one of the many tools for correcting perceived maladministration by a sitting governor. Orbih assured that the party would be just and fair to every card-carrying member vying for any position in the 2015 general elections and the 2016 governorship poll in the state. He promised members that all eligible aspirants would be given equal opportunity, to test their popularity and strength at the primaries. He revealed that the party will not adopt the policy of harmonisation as they were determined to do the right things the right way, by shunning the old practice of “policy of selection.” He dispelled the fears that the rate of defection of members from other parties to the PDP would cause its disintegration, saying; “it will make us become stronger and a more formidable party to form the next government come 2016.”

It would be recalled that months ago, hundreds of All Progressives Congress, APC, members in Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas of Edo State, defected to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with a promise by the leadership of the party to ensure that dividends of democracy were circulated among all members.