Abia PDP primaries in alleged quagmire — Senator Abaribe
By Amaike Ihuoma Okoronkwo, Port Harcourt
The ongoing gubernatorial primaries of all political parties in the country in line with the regulations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2023 national elections are having some hiccups with the new electoral act.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia State alleged that the exercise is not free from some technical hiccups the type that questions the integrity of the democratic system in place.
He raised concern on the sudden disenfranchisement of delegates who are supposedly the stakeholders at the grassroot level. In a notice of non-participation filed by Senator Abaribe, he informed his cream of supporters to remain calm.
“The last couple of weeks has been tortuous as we battled hard to navigate our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) away from a self destructive path.
“The essence was to create an unfettered democratic space and a level playing field for all aspirants vying for all elective offices in the state, to participate equally in the primary elections. That was not the case and of course what we are witnessing is a shambolic process driven by a procured court injunction.
“To make matters worse, the use of only an imaginary 3-man Adhoc delegates to the exclusion of the party’s statutory delegates in the primary elections to elect our candidates even when INEC the nation’s electoral umpire, has unequivocally stated that no congress held in Abia State for that purpose, has no doubt put the party and her candidates in a quagmire.”
According to him, the implication for PDP as a party is grave and as such might put all ongoing primary exercises on quick sand.
“I am known for standing firm in defence of my convictions for the right of all people to a free and fair democratic process. That was why my campaign set sail on a democratic journey that took us to all the nooks and crannies of our dear state. We covered all the local governments and we could see the enthusiasm on the faces of our people who are desirous of change to a progressive government with a human face.
“We committed human and material resources, preaching the ‘Rise Up Abia’ message for the total emancipation of our State from the drudgery of imposition and godfatherism, which has seen the state at the lowest rung of infrastructural, human and material development index among the states of the federation.
“Our people were and are indeed fired up for a new lease of life that will be brought about by a people’s government.”
He maintained that there was no doubt that Abians are tired of being subjected to being the butt of jokes and ridicle from their peers, particularly those from the contiguous states that were hitherto far behind Abia State in the development index in the time past.
“That was the narrative to change when the campaign took off. Unfortunately, the ugly developments ignited by a rapacious ambition to maintain the wicked governance status quo of imposition and godfatherism have aborted this quest in PDP.
“Accordingly, I Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe will not be part of this charade.
“I am therefore not participating in the exercise, which means that I will not be part of the PDP governorship primary election that holds in Abia State on Wednesday 25th of May, 2022 as doing so would have amounted to endorsement of an illegality that is already being challenged in the courts.
“I therefore, ask all our people, our teeming supporters and Ndigbo to remain calm, keep the faith and wait for the new direction, which will be announced very soon.
What is important is that the campaign to liberate Abia State would surely assume a new dimension. The time is now.”
