NATIONAL PANEL had earlier reported that there was a commotion in Ebonyi following the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly cancelled its primaries midway into the exercise early hours of Sunday.
The cancellation was announced in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba.
In the statement, the spokesperson said the cancellation was after extensive deliberations by the National Working Committee(NWC) of the party.
He said the party will announce a new date for the primaries.
The statement reads: “After very extensive consultations, deliberations and review of all issues, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the cancellation of all Party primaries in Ebonyi State”.
“To this effect, all State House of Assembly, National Assembly and Governorship primaries of our Party in Ebonyi State are hereby cancelled. The NWC will announce new dates for the affected Party exercises in the State”.
“The PDP charges all aspirants, critical stakeholders, leaders and members of our great Party in Ebonyi State to remain calm, united and focused as the PDP takes firm steps to rescue our nation from the misrule of the rudderless, corrupt and incompetent All Progressives Congress (APC).”
But the factional Chairman of the party, Silas Onu in a statement said the primaries were not cancelled.
He said the NWC did not sit and decide on the cancellation.
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He accused the National Publicity Secretary and National Secretary of the party of masterminding the statement without authorisation from the NWC.
“The NWC has issued a circular for the election and only the NWC and the court can stop it and not a few individuals”
“For the NWC to sit, a meeting must be called and then deliberations will hold before a decision is taken,” he said.
Ọnụ said the primaries will go on as scheduled.
The governorship primaries however did not start till late in the evening.
It was still ongoing as of 7:35 pm.
However, four major contestants in the governorship primaries election withdrew from the race as the election got underway citing massive irregularities.
They include Sylvester Ogbaga, Chukwuma Nwazunku, Austine Nwazunku and Emmanuel Eze.
Ogbaga described the exercise as a charade while Austine Nwazunku called it shameful.
Emmanuel Eze accused the State Chairman of pandering to the whims of a particular contestant.
He alleged that the primaries were held without any delegates list and the presence of an election committee from Abuja.
Eze and Ogbaga alleged that the delegates from their respective zones were not allowed into the venue.
Nwazunku described the atmosphere at the state party secretariat, the venue of the exercise as a marketplace not fit for any serious business like a party election.
The primaries however went ahead despite the withdrawals and reported cancellation.
It was still on at the time of this report.
