By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Former President of the Senate and frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Pius Anyim, has raised alarm over the exclusion of Ebonyi State delegates from the list of participants at the party’s primaries, warning that their disenfranchisement would fundamentally affect the exercise.
The aspirant in a letter addressed to the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu on Friday, expressed deep concern on the exclusion of Ebonyi State from the delegates that will participate in the National convention of party scheduled to hold on the 28th and 29th of May, 2022 in Abuja.
In an open letter of concern issued on Friday, 27th May 2022 and addressed to Ayu and Chairman of the PDP Special Convention, Sen. David Mark, Anyim lamented that he had gone through the list of delegates from other states and the FCT but could not find that of Ebonyi State.
He said, “Despite assurances by the National Organising Secretary of the Party that, what he called ‘technical error’ would be rectified, the problem remained as at 12 noon on Friday May 27,” the letter which was personally signed by Anyim and titled “Open Letter on the Absence of Ebonyi State Delegates List”, Anyim said.
“The Chairman may recall that during the meeting of Presidential aspirants and the Special Convention Committee held on the 26th day of May 2022 at the Legacy House, that the entire delegates list for all the states were presented to each of the aspirants.
“On an examination of the list, I discovered that the Ebonyi State delegates list was not included. On inquiry from the National Organizing Secretary, he informed me that there was a technical error and it will be corrected today.
“As at the time of writing this letter i.e. 12 noon 27th/05/2022, I have no clue about the fate of the delegates from Ebonyi State.
“The purpose of this letter is to alert all concerned that disenfranchising delegates from Ebonyi State or any state for that matter will fundamentally affect the election”, the open letter warned.
You may wish to note that delegate list has caused major crises in the party leading to the defection of many aspirants from PDP even as the election is barely 48 hours away.
Some of the states affected by the crises include Edo, Anambra, Abia, Imo, Ogun and Ebonyi State.
The crises led to the exit of aspirants like Peter Obi, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mukhtar Shagari while many others have withdrawn their aspirations in the party.
