Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has announced that it would conduct a primary election on 4th of February 2023 to replace the last Guber Candidate, Prof. Uchenna Ikonne.
Details of the announcement is still sketchy but ABN TV gathered that four individuals have been shortlisted for the forthcoming primary election.
The party is to conduct a fresh governorship primary and forward nominated candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to comply with section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Section 33 of the Electoral Act states that “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.”
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The provision also says that INEC shall be notified officially, of the death of the candidate and the timeline fixed for the conduct of fresh primary for the replacement. Director, Voter Education, Mr. Ayodele Aluko, could not confirm if PDP has notified the commission officially.
“We heard about the death but I don’t know if they have communicated officially,” Aluko said in a telephone interview. Chairman, Information and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye, could not be reached at the time of filing this report as he could not answer calls placed to his mobile.
However, a source within the Abia State chapter of PDP, however, disclosed that officials of the party were already in Abuja, probably to notify the commission. Said the source: “we are on course, we have commenced the process to effect the replacement and I assure you, we will meet the deadline.”
According to him, four names who will participate in the fresh primary have been shortlisted.
