Abia PDP: Ayu’s NWC to Screen New Guber Aspirants in Abuja February 2

Followimg the unfortumate demise of its gubernatorial candidate, Prof Eleazar Uche Ikonne on January 25, the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is utilising the provisions of the Electoral Act to conduct fresh primaries to produce a new governorship candidate in the state. To this end, the Party has fixed February 4, 2023 for its fresh primary election.

Confirming this development in a Press Release endorsed by the Abia PDP Vice Chairman and Acting Publicity Secretary, Hon Elder Abraham Amah, the fresh primary will hold on the day at the Umuahia Township Stadium in the state capital at 10am.

The release called on all interested aspirants to purchase the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at the Party’s national headquarters in Abuja starting from Friday, January 27 to Wednesday, February 1, 2023, and present themselves for screening at the same venue on Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 11am.

The aspirants were also requested to present themselves before the State Working Committee of the party in Umuahia on Friday, February 3, 2023.

The full statement reads:

“CONDUCT OF A FRESH PRIMARY ELECTION TO REPLACE LATE PROF. UCHE IKONNE

Following the death of Prof. Uche Ikonne, the Abia PDP gubernatorial candidate on Wednesday January 25, 2023 and the subsequent directive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which relied upon the provisions of the New Electoral Act on the replacement of candidates arising from death, the Abia PDP wishes to inform its members that a date for the primary election to nominate a new candidate to replace late Prof. Uche Ikonne has been scheduled as follows:  

Date: Saturday February 4, 2023

Time: 10:00 am prompt

Venue: Umuahia Township Stadium, Umuahia

Consequent upon the above, all interested aspirants are requested to collect Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms from the PDP Headquarters at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Abuja. 

The sale of both forms begins today Friday January 27 and ends on Wednesday February 1, 2023.

The screening of aspirants will hold at the PDP National Headquarters, Wadata Plaza Abuja, on Thursday February 2, 2023 at 11:00 am prompt.

All the aspirants are expected to present themselves to the State Working Committee, SWC, of the Abia PDP on Friday February 3, 2023 at the State Secretariat, Finbars Street, Umuahia by 12: 00 pm.

Further directives from the State Party Secretariat, Finbars Street, Umuahia would be communicated when necessary.

PDP- Power to the People!“

Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2022, stipulates as follows:

“A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under section 29 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate:

Provided that in the case of such withdrawal or death of a candidate, the political party affected shall, within 14 days of the occurrence of the event, hold a fresh primary election to produce and submit a fresh candidate to the Commission for the election concerned“.

Section 34(1) of the Act also makes further provisions on the death of a candidate.

“If after the time for the delivery of nomination paper and before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate dies, the Chief National Electoral Commissioner shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased candidate was to participate and the Commission shall appoint some other convenient date for the election within 14 days”.