DESPITE BEING IN CAPTIVITY, NEF CONVENER’S SON WINS PDP HOUSE TICKET

“We categorically deny, before you and before the whole world, that no such Delegates Primary Elections to produce delegates were ever held in the whole of Kaduna State. Secondly, there was a petition written by our campaign organisation, which the Appeal Committee refused to collect,” Ephraim said.

According to him, “Many party faithful paid for, and filled the Delegates Election forms, which were neither collected by the state, nor the national office of the APC, thus disenfranchising thousands of APC members in the state of their rights to become delegates as enshrined in the constitution of the party.”

Three Killed as P DP Holds Assembly, House Primaries in A'Ibom

Three persons were reportedly killed in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State during the conduct of the Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) House of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries in the area.

Sources alleged that the violent clash occurred between supporters of House of Representatives aspirants during the party primaries in Mbiabong Ikot Udofia of the LGA held on Sunday.

Police sources at the Ini Divisional Police Headquarters, told Journalists that thugs loyal to one of the aspirants killed someone from the rival camp and the opposing camp retaliated killing two persons.

But stern-looking security operatives were immediately dispatched to maintain security during the conduct òf the senatorial primary of the party at designated venues across the three senatorial districts.

THISDAY gathered that although the senatorial primary was peaceful, many of the aggrieved aspirants boycotted the exercise.

The aspirants who stayed away from the exercise, said, their decision was based on the order by a Federal High Court, Abuja, against the use of ad hoc delegates for party primaries.

One of the aspirants, Mr. Inibehe Okori, in a petition yesterday to the chairman PDP National Assembly Senate Primary Election Committee, said he would not violate the court order by partcipating in the primaries.

Okori, an aspirant for Akwa Ibom North-west (Ikot Ekpene) senatorial district said, "Following the ruling given on an order in suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/606/22 between Hon. Friday Iwok and ors vs INEC and ors, on 18th May, 2022 by the Federal High Court, Abuja, that the parties maintain Status Quo Ante Bellum pending the hearing and determination of the suit as per the application for rejoinder of the over 900 ad hoc delegates, I hereby state as follows:

"That it is my conviction that no party can legitimately make use of the Ad hoc delegates for the primaries before the determination of the matter before the court.

That it will constitute a breach of a court order to participate in the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) set to hold today, to field candidates for the Senatorial Election.

"Following the above, I, Hon. Inibehe Okori, will not participate in the primaries slated for today 23rd May 2022. This does not mean my withdrawal from the race or from my party; this only restates my intention, as a law-abiding citizen, to work within the confines and stipulations of the law."

Another aspirant, Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, for Akwa Ibom South (Eket) Senatorial district, in a similar statement disassociated himself from the exercise.

"Myself, my agent and supporters therefore shall not participate in the nomination exercise as delegates to be so used by the Party are not recognised by the laws of the land,” he said.

The Senate nomination of the party candidates was supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Chairman National AssemblySenate Primary election in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Edwards Ayo-Odugbeson.

Results of the PDP senatorial primary showed that for Akwa Ibom North-west (Ikot Ekpene) senatorial district, the immediate past national legal adviser of the PDP, Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem won; for Akwa Ibom North-east (Uyo) senatorial district, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Aniekan Bassey, won; while Barrister Ekong Sampson, was announced winner in the Akwa Ibom South (Eket) senatorial district. concluded their primaries with the former Ogbia Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ebiyoun Turner, emerging the standard bearer of the party for the Ogbia Federal constituency.

He defeated three others including the incumbent, Hon. Fred Obua.

Turner scored a total of 16 votes, to beat his closest rival, Mieteme Obodor, who got 12 votes, while a former Commissioner for Information, Daniel Markson-Iworiso, had seven votes, with the incumbent lawmaker, Fred Obua, polling six votes.

Declaring the results, the returning officer, Mr. ThankGod Embilakpo, said after the free, fair and smooth contest, the aspirant with the highest votes, 16, Ebiyun Turner, emerged the winner.

At the Yenagoa Federal Constituency, a member of the State House Assembly, Oboku Oforji won with 74 votes as against his opponents Ogbo Okolovie, who polled 5 votes while Romanus Lot, got no vote.

At the Southern Ijaw Federal constituency, Rodney Ambaiowei polled 29 votes to defeat a former commissioner, Kurokegha Dorgu, popularly known as Kabaka with 24 votes.

The other results from Brass/ Nembe and Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal constituencies were still being awaited at the time of filing this report..

The delay in the conduct of the primaries was, however, due to late arrival of election materials to Brass and Sagbama, venues of the primaries.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the PDP has commended the security agencies for the success recorded in the Assembly primaries conducted in the 24 constituencies in the state.

The PDP, in a statement yesterday by the State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ogoli Ebiye, described the outcome as a win-win situation for all contestants, admitting that there were minor hitches, which led to slight delay in voting in some centres.