PDP Writes INEC, Cancels Ebonyi Governorship Primary

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, cancelling the party’s governorship primary held last month in Ebonyi.

The letter was dated May 31, 2022, and was co-signed by the National Chairman, Senator Iyiocha Ayu and National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu respectively.

The letter said the election was cancelled because it violated the guidelines of the party, noting that a new date would be communicated.

The letter read, “This is to bring to your kind attention that the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has cancelled the congresses in Ebonyi State which purportedly took place on 29 May 2022 for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate.

“The Party also cancelled the gubernatorial congress held on May 29, 2022.

“The congresses were cancelled for violating the guidelines of the Party as the committee that purportedly conducted them did not form the required quorum.

“The commission will be informed shortly of the new date for the congresses.”

The party has been enmeshed in leadership crisis in the state following state congress that led to the emergence of both Tochukwu Okorie and Silas Ọnụ as chairman of the state chapter of the party.

The party later wrote a letter recognizing Okorie in another letter to INEC.

But the primary election which the party has now cancelled was conducted by the Ọnụ- led faction.

Following the crisis, Ọnụ had gone to court to challenge the outcome of the recognistion of his opponent by the PDP leadership in Abuja. In April, the Federal High Court in Abuja sacked Okorie and ordered that Ọnụ be sworn in.

But Tochukwu appealed the ruling and the appellate court ordered that the status quo existing before the High Court ruling be maintained effectively ousting Onu.

But Ọnụ continued to lay claim to the Chairmanship and even went ahead to conduct the primaries last week.

The Onu faction produced Chukwuma Ọdịi, a young billionaire as its governorship candidate during its faction’s primary.

In the Senatorial primaries, Senator Sam Egwu and Senator Ama Nnachi were elected by the delegates for Ebonyi North and Ebonyi South zones by the Onu-led faction.

Also, a former member representing Ezza South and Ịkwọ Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Laz Ogbee, clinched the ticket for Ebonyi Central.

The PDP now has up to June 9 to conduct another primary or risks not producing a candidate for the March 2023 governorship election.