The crisis in the people’s democratic party PDP, Ebonyi state chapter deepens as factional aspirants for various positions who are loyal to Barr Silas Onu led State working committee said they will not participate in the fresh primaries slated to hold between the 4th and 5th of June, 2022.
The factional group who are also loyal to Anyichuks are insisting that the primary elections which were approved by the National Working Committee (NWC) and held on the 28th and 29th of May, 2022 should stand.
Speaking on behalf of the aspirants, a former house of representatives member and a senatorial aspirant for Ebonyi central, Hon. Lazarus Ogbe explained that the rumor for a fresh primary in the state was an invitation to more crises in the party.
He explained that the delegates that nominated the house of assembly, house of representatives, senate, and governor were legitimately elected across the 171 wards of the state. He added that the primaries were conducted in the presence of INEC and security agents.
The group threatened to boycott the fresh primary saying that it is illegal
He said, “candidates were nominated on 28 and 29 to fly the flag of the party ranging from the house of assembly, house of representatives and governor. I want to recall that NWC scheduled the primary in Ebonyi on the 28th and 29th of May. It is on a note that because of the little crisis in the party, q there was no primary election in Ebonyi State when other states nominated their representatives.
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“Three man delegates were elected in the 172 wards of the state. The delegates are in turn expected to vote for candidates of their choice and this they did from the 28th and 29th of May.
“The state chairman conducted the primary that was monitored by INEC, security agencies, the DSS, and journalists monitored the primary that was done in the open. The election was certified as the most transparent in the history of the party in the state.
“Today, we started hearing rumors that the same NWC has reversed themselves and directed that the same primary election be conducted on the same position. There was no reason or breach of the party guidelines that another set of primary be conducted in the state.
“It is on this note that we want to appeal to the party to allow peace to reign in the state. I have never seen where two persons are contesting for the same position in the same party. We do not want to experience what transpired in Zamfara and Rivers states on the side of APC.
“We want the NWC to intervene in the matter and allow those they have nominated in their votes to stand in Ebonyi State PDP. All the delegates were picked from the 171 wards of the state. INEC has the list of delegates nominated in the 171 wards. We appealed that if there is any interest playing out, the appeal should be played down in the interest of the party.
“The guber primary was conducted in the open. The house of assembly primary was also conducted in the open and all other primaries were conducted in the open. From that day the primary election was conducted, we have not heard of any infractions. We so much appeal to them to allow peace in Ebonyi State and prepare for the general election”, Ogbe appealed.
