The political battle in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State is obviously getting to the crescendo as numerous House of Assembly aspirants and House of Representative aspirants under the party are withdrawing from the primaries.
Recall that ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER had reported of the infighting within the party as regards the three-man delegate election. A group of gubernatorial aspirants led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe held a press conference in Abuja where they stated that the three-man delegate election never held in Abia State, but the state chapter of the party headed by Rt. Hon. Asiforo Okere have maintained that the election held and had approached a state high court where they obtained an injunction mandating PDP and INEC to recognize the said disputed three-man delegate list.
Due to the recent development as regards the amended electoral act which requires the accent of President Muhammadu Buhari, PDP was left with only the three-man delegate list to determine their candidates in the primaries. This did not go down well with numerous aspirants who felt the process of electing the three-man delegates in Abia was not transparent and did not follow due process.
Recall also as published by ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER, INEC revealed in a correspondent that they were not informed of the rescheduled date of the three-man delegate election after the first attempted to hold it failed. Based on the electoral act, INEC was to be given seven days’ notice for a rescheduled election and are also expected to observe the process.
Some of the aspirant that have withdrawn from the primaries include the following;
- Rotr Chukwuemeka Onyenucheya – Withdrew from Ikwuano State Constituency race
- Tony Williams – Withdrew from Obingwa/Ugwunagbo/Osisioma Federal Constituency race
- Solomon Adaelu – Withdrew from Obingwa/Ugwunagbo/Osisioma Federal Constituency race
- Ebere Nwankwo – Withdrew from Umunneochi State Constituency race
- Chijioke Chukwu Esq – Bende Federal Constituency race
- Honorable Ubani Dannie – Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency race
- Honorable Amaechi Hanson – Obingwa west state constituency race
ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER also gathered that prominent House of Assembly member, Honorable Ginger Onwusibe representing Isiala Ngwa North state constituency was equally denied ticket of the party. Ginger who had earlier planned to contest for Isiala Ngwa North & South federal constituency seat withdrew his aspiration and reverted back to the assembly seat to make way for the rumored anointed gubernatorial aspirant who hails from the same LGA with him.
Based on the press releases of some of the aspirants stated above, most of them described the three-man delegate list as a sham and are set to contest the process in the court of law.
In the coming days, alignment and realignments will begin to emerge.