….Raise alarm over plans to doctor statutory delegates list
By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Some stakeholders in Abia state has described as charade the the congress that produced a3-man ad-hoc delegates for the May 29th National Convention of the party, insisting that it was not conducted according to the provisions of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The group further reminded the party’s leadership that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will go the way of Zamfara and Abia states if it includes the 3-man adhoc delegates produced from a faulty congress for its National convention and advised the National Working Committee (NWC) members to use only statutory delegates for the convention so as not to run foul of the constitution and the electoral act.
In a Press Conference on Wednesday by the Senate Minority leader Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe and seven other aspirants, he explained that State Chairman does not have the powers to write a letter to INEC to notify it against of a congress nor has the power to conduct a state congress.
The minority leader drew the attention of the party to a letter from the electoral umpire, INEC/DEPM/CWO/041/III dated 13th May, 2022 where INEC confirmed that it did not get any letter from PDP concerning the 3-man adhoc delegate election that purportedly took place on the 6th of May 2022.
According to him, “There was not and has never been any Ward Congress to elect the 3-man Adhoc delegates in Abia State. The congress, earlier scheduled to hold on 30th April, 2022 was cancelled due to a court order and therefore, could not hold. It was re-scheduled to hold on May 4th 2022. It also failed to hold on that date because of a public holiday declared in Abia State and since then none has been held, neither has there been any communication for another congress by PDP National Headquarters.
“It is preposterous that what is being bandied as a list emanated from an imaginary congress conducted vide a letter of notice to the Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner signed by the Abia State Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Allwell Asiforo Okere. The implication being that the functions of NEC and NWC was performed by a State Chairman of the party and not the National Chairman and Secretary of PDP.
“Our great party, should therefore disregard any of such list especially now that INEC has come forward to clarify that it neither received any communication from the POP National Chairman and the National Secretary to participate nor did it monitor any such exercise as required by both the INEC Guidelines for Political Parties Section 1.2 which stipulates a mandatory 7-day notice to INEC and Section 82(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.
“The National Legal adviser, we believe, knows the implications of going ahead to use such legally unknown delegates in the primary elections and should advise the NWC accordingly, unless the party wants to enjoy the unenviable luxury of walking towards self-destruction.
“We therefore urge the NWC of our great party to use only statutory (automatic) delegates for the forthcoming primaries to avoid a looming disaster for all our aspirants at all levels in Abia State”.
The minority leader who is also a governorship aspirant argued that The Abia Sate Chairman of PDP, Mr Asiforo Okere in writing and sending such notice, clearly overreached himself and by so doing flagrantly ran foul of the extant laws of the PDP and the Electoral Act.
He further advised that it will be imprudent for the NWC to allowed its powers to be so usurped knowing the dire consequences of such action on the electoral process.
According to him, The NWC should as a matter of fact know that the State Chairman’s actions with that letter failed to satisfy the requirements of the law as it is the NWC and or the NEC of the party that has the exclusive prerogative to give notice to INEC and to conduct party congresses and primaries. Hence, “any such notice given and congresses conducted by any State Executive as purportedly done in this case is null and void”.
Also adding his voice, Tim Ogwuru who was former Spokesperson to Atiku Abubakar 2019 Presidential campaign warned that the party may lose Abia state and even the Presidential election if it goes ahead to conduct it congresses and convention with the 3-man adhoc delegates that were not validly elected.
“What we are saying in principle is no imposition and for procedure, mechanisms and guidelines to be followed according to INEC, according to the constitution, according to the act of parliament.
“We came to the national secretariat to make the statement so that the whole world will know that Abia state is in a mess and if PDP doesn’t take time, they will lose Abia state. We are only controlling about two states in the South East and if they are not careful, they will lose the two”.
Among the stakeholders that endorsed the position are: Hon Ude Oko Chukwu (Deputy Governor, Abia & Gubernatorial Aspirant), Hon Uzoma Nkem Abonta (Member, House of Representatives & HOR Aspirant), Senator Emma Nwaka (Fmr State Chairman, PDP Abia & Gubernatorial Aspirant), Engr Enyinna Nwafor (Gubernatorial Aspirant).
Others are Chief Ncheta Omorekpe (Gubernatorial Aspirant), Dr Chima Anyaso (Gubernatorial Aspirant), Hon Dr Sampson Orji (Gubernatorial Aspirant), Barr David Iro (State Secretary, PDP Abia).
It was learnt that Chief Onyema Ugochukwu (BOT, Member & Elder Statesman) and Chief Charles Ogbonna (Fmr. Commissioner and Elder Statesman) were absent but endorsed the move.
