PDP Threatens To Boycott Rescheduled Primaries In Ebonyi
Abah Joshua
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi state has threatened to boycott the rescheduled primaries for aspirants in the State.
The group made its position known at a news conference on Thursday in Abakaliki.
The faction led by the State chairman, Barrister Onu Silas Onu noted that electoral panel constituted by the National Working Committee of the party had duly conducted primaries which were monitored by INEC as required by Electoral Guidelines.
The spokesman of Onu’s faction and senatorial candidate of Ebonyi Central zone, Hon. Lazarus Ogbee said that the PDP primary elections conducted in Ebonyi that produced the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives, senatorial and governorship candidates met all requirements of the Electoral Act and party guidelines for the primaries.
He noted that the rescheduled primaries by PDP NWC at the weekend was unconstitutional, illegal and null and void.
Ogbee said: “If you see your brother or leader breaking the law will you join him to break the law too?
“After the primaries, those that were nominated went to court about it; so, we cannot deliberately join people that are poised to break the law equally”.
“So, if they have sent another letter for the reconduct of the primary elections; well, we have done the elections as they directed.
“Maybe they have some other positions they want to conduct elections for. But, for the positions of House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senatorial and governorship, we have conducted in Ebonyi obeying all the party rules, guidelines and constitution.
“I don’t think that we will go back to what we have done. We are even preparing for our certificates of return so that we can go out there and start campaigning for the main election,” the group said.
“The state cahirman 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 rumour that the same NWC has reversed themselves and direct 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 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 stand in Ebonyi State PDP. All the delegates were picked from the 171 wards of the state. INEC have the list of delegates nominated in the 171 ward. 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.