Ebonyi 2023 PDP ‘candidates’ warn against fresh primaries

From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaiki

Candidates who emerged in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cancelled primaries in Ebonyi State have warned the National Working Committee of the party against its decision to conduct fresh primaries in the State.

The candidates noted that it would be a grievous error on the part of the NWC to whatsoever reason contemplate holding fresh primaries in Ebonyi State after candidates had emerged in primaries duly fixed and monitored by the Party and INEC on 28th and 29th of May, 2022.

They called on the National leadership of the Party to save the party from the crisis that would arise, if they go ahead to hold fresh primaries, as that would amount to electing two candidates for the party for one position in State, ahead of the general elections.

They argued that the party cannot shift the goal post at the middle of a game, saying, the primary elections of the party in Ebonyi State had been held, lost and win and cannot be altered by any afterthought decision, moreso, as the matter has become a subjudice.

 They made this known while addressing journalists in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi state, on Thursday night.

The South East zonal Auditor of PDP, Hon Lazarus Ogbee, who spoke on behalf of the affected candidates, noted that the National Working Committee scheduled primary elections in Ebonyi State on 28th and 29th May,2022, was conducted peacefully in line with the party guidelines in 171 wards of the state.

Ogbee who was elected PDP Senatorial candidate for Ebonyi Central district in the cancelled primaries, called on the national leadership of the party to desist from any purported plan to hold fresh primaries in Ebonyi, to avoid plunging the party into crisis and scuttling their chances of winning elections in 2023.

He warned that if the party leadership refused to play with caution, the party might witness Zamfara and Rivers states experience.

They urged the party’s presidential flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubaka to  intervene in order to restore peace in the Party in the State.

“The National Working Committee slated two days for the conduct of the norminations.The 28th of May was State Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial. The State Chapter of the party duly complied to that directive and conducted the primaries, thereby conducting very transparent primary elections that was observed, monitored by INEC, security agencies at all levels .

“The election was certified as the most transparent primaries conducted in recent times. Unfortunately, today, we started hearing rumors that the same National Working Committee that sent, directed and instructed that primary elections shall be conducted in the state on the 28th and 29th of 2022 has reversed themselves again to direct for another primary elections at the same level of norminations in Ebonyi State.

No reason was giving because; the former one was duly monitored by both the party Chapter, INEC and security agencies.

There was no breach of the electoral or party guidelines  and we started hearing rumour today that the same National Working Committee has directed that another set of Primaries should be conducted in Ebonyi state both Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives Senate, and Gubernatorial”.

“It is on this note that we want to appeal to the party to allow peace reign in Ebonyi State Chapter of PDP. The people have gone out to nominate candidates of their choice.There will be no need coming back to put crisis in the party by reordering for another Congress. Are they trying to re-conduct it to have two candidates per position?

“I have never seen where two candidates are contesting election in the same position in the same party. We appealed to the NEC of PDP, major stakeholders of PDP, the National Working Committee of PDP and most importantly, the presidential flag bearer of the party to intervene in this situation to avoid crisis in Ebonyi State Chapter of PDP so that we won’t experience what happened in Zamfara in 2019 elections on the side of the APC which equally happened in Rivers State on the side of APC.

“Let them toe the path of justice and peace. The people have spoken and have nominated their candidates from House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and Gubernatorial.

“Let the presidential flag bearer and the national leadership of the party intervene, let peace reign in Ebonyi State Chapter of PDP,” Ogbee said.

Other members of the party,  including Dr. Obinna Nwachukwu who was elected candidate of the party for Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency and Barrister Nworie Ifeanyi elected candidate of the party for Ezza South State constituency, also condemned the purported plan by the national leadership of the party to conduct fresh primaries in Ebonyi State.