Ejikeme Uwa, UMUAHIA
With the rescheduled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for elective positions slated to commence from 21st May, Abia PDP, are now in a deep mess, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has confirmed that Abia state chapter of PDP is yet to hold their 3-man Ad-Hoc ward delegate elections, as directed by PDP National headquarters
INEC position is contained in a letter written to the PDP headquarters Abuja and sighted by our reporter in Umuahia yesterday evening.
INEC position came in response to inquiry made by Dioka Stan and co solicitor/partner.
In a letter signed by Rose Oriara Anthony, the Commission secretary, confirmed that Abia PDP has not conducted its 3-Man ad-hoc delegate congress, contrary to claims by a section of the party is the state that it held its ward congress in may 6th 2022.
This response from INEC has put to rest the speculations on whether or not the 3-man ward delegates elections held in Abia state.
The Commission letter said: “Please, refer to your letter dated 11th May 2022, requesting confirmation if the Commission is in receipt of a letter from the Peoples Democratic Party PDP National Chairman and National Secretary that rescheduled the party’s Abia state ward congresses that failed to hold on the 4th of May 2022.
“This is to confirm that the last notice received from the PDP National headquarters was the one that scheduled the Abia state ward Congresses for 4th may 2022”.
It will be recalled that the 3-man ad-hoc delegates Elections was meant to hold in the 17 local government Areas of the state in preparation for the main preparation for the main primaries.
The primaries, however, did not hold as INEC cited public holidays as reasons for postponing the elections
The election, which was shifted to a later date, did not hold as some aggieved members of the party were alleged to have gotten a court injunction to stop the election from holding.
In a related development, 8 Abia PDP Governorship aspirants, one member of federal House of Representatives, Hon. Abonta and Barr David Iroh Abia PDP state secretary, petitioned the national headquarters of PDP today, Wednesday 18th, 2022.
Some of the Governorship aspirants that signed the petition includes Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu, the Deputy Governor of Abia state, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Senate Minority Leader, Mr Ncheta Omerepke, Senator Emma Nwaka, Engineer Enyinnaya Nwafor, Hon. Sampson Orji and Dr. Chima Anyaso
In the petition, they called on the national leadership of the party to take necessary steps to avoid what it says are desperate attempt to impose candidates at all levels.
The petition titled: “Abia state PDP: Time to avoid self destruction” reads in part, “It is no longer news that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Abia state chapter has been grappling with self inflicted problems that could lead to a major destructive
“Imposition, at the center of the vexed issues is the obvious manipulation by a tiny segment of the state Executive committee of the party to yield to plots at subverting the Democratic process, which is geared towards achieving a predetermined goal of imposition at all levels.
“We are here to alert the National headquarters of the party PDP and the Nigerian public of this urgly development, which if not stopped could spell doom for the party ahead of the 2023 general Elections not only in Abia state but in the south East as a whole.”
It will equally be recalled that the state secretary of Abia state PDP Barr David Iroh, was suspended from the party for stating that the 3-man ad-hoc delegate ward congresses has not taken place anywhere in the state.
Political watchers in the state are of the view that if Abia state PDP failed to put their house in order, what happened in Zamfara and Anambra state APC may happen to them.
The Supreme Court had ruled that primaries they conducted are null and void as they did not follow party Constitution and regulations to elect their party flagbearers in the last concluded elections by INEC.