Abia PDP holds Senatorial Primary, reschedules inconclusive Reps, Assembly primaries
*As Speaker wins Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency
From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia
Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says that Senatorial primary elections will hold in the state on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
The announcement is coming on the heels of the peaceful but controversial House of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries held on Sunday, May 22, 2022, which saw many aspirants withdrawing from the exercise.
The State Vice Chairman, Hon. Elder Amah Abraham, who is currently, the Acting PDP State Publicity Secretary, made this known, through a statement he released in Umuahia on Monday, also said that inconclusive House of Assembly and House of Representatives Primaries have been rescheduled to hold same Tuesday as the Senatorial primaries.
He listed Arochukwu/Ohafia and Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituencies, as well as Ohafia South, Ugwunagbo, Umunneochi State Constituencies as areas that recorded inconclusive House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries, respectively.
According to Abraham, the PDP Senatorial primary elections in Abia would hold in the three Senatorial zones as on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, from 12 noon, while the rescheduled House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries would hold from 8 a.m at approved locations.
“We thank all our members for their orderly conduct in the just concluded State House of Assembly and House of Representatives primary elections and advise that the same decorum be extended to this and remaining elections,” he said.
However, many aspirants withdrew from Sunday’s House Representatives and House of Assembly primaries, alleging irregularities.
Those that withdrew from the primary elections include Tony Williams Obingwa/Ugwunagbo/Osisioma Federal Constituency ), Solomon Adaelu (Obingwa/Ugwunagbo/Osisioma Federal Constituency), Hon. Darlington Nwokocha (Isiala Nwga North/Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency; Ebere Nwankwo (Umunneochi State Constituency), Chijioke Chukwu Esq (Bende Federal Constituency), Honorable Ubani Dannie (Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency) Rotrn. Chukwuemeka Onyenucheya (Ikwuano State Constituency), and Hon. Amaechi Hanson (Obingwa West State Constituency).
They alleged that the list of the three-man delegate used for the primary elections was illegal as they insisted that there was no wrad congress for the election of the three-man ad hoc delegates in Abia PDP.
Most of the aspirants who withdrew from the primaries told their supporters to remain calm and they would unfold their next political moves soon.
Meanwhile, the speaker of Abia state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji, is savouring his victory after beating other aspirants to pick the PDP ticket to contest for the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency seat in the 2023 election.
Engr. Orji secured 86 votes to beat his closet rival, Chief Obi Aguocha, who got eight votes.
Other aspirants: Chidiebere Nwachukwu, scored 2 votes, Johnken Nwadinaobi got 2 votes, Ndubuisi John 1 vote, while Kelechi Onuzuruike got no votes.
Also a sitting lawmaker, Jerry Uzosike, secured a return ticket to the Abia legislature as he defeated his rivals for the Umuahia South State Constituency; while a new comer, Erondu Erondu Jnr. won the House of Assembly ticke for Obingwa West State Constituency. His opponents, Mr Enyinnaya Apollos and Hon. Hansen Amaechi, according to reports, failed to show up for the exercise.
However, a prominent House of Assembly member, Honorable Ginger Onwusibe representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency was the biggest casualty as he was reported to have lost in the primary election.
Onwusibe had planned to upgrade to the House of Representatives by seeking to contest for the PDP ticket for the Isiala Ngwa North/Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency, but was said to have been pressurized to revert to contest for the Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency to allegedly make way for the rumored anointed gubernatorial aspirant who hails from the same Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area with him.
