Addressing newsmen on Sunday evening in Umuahia, the Abia PDP Vice Chairman and acting State Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah said it is the responsibility of the NWC to transmit names to INEC and at no time did the chapter sent any names other than the names the NWC sent to INEC.
“In the past, our national office has never imposed anybody on Abia PDP. We are not contending anything with them and in the submission of names, they are the final authority. We have not contended any position they have taken. We stand by our NWC,” he said.
There have been insinuations that all is not well between the party in the state and its NWC who revised its choice of Jasper Uche for Okey Igwe as the running mate of its governorship candidate, Okey Ahiwe.
Igwe was the running mate of the party’s former governorship candidate, late Prof. Uche Ikonne who was seen as having worked so hard and has not committed any offence.
The party’s NWC had allegedly written the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC forwarding the name of Igwe Philip Okey as its Abia State Deputy Governorship candidate for the forthcoming general elections.
The letter which has been in the internet read, “Following the death of Prof. Uche Ikonne, the party conducted a fresh primary election wherein Ahiwe Okechukwu Ambrose emerged the winner. However, in submitting the name of Ahiwe Okechukwu Ambrose to the Commission as its Abia State Governorship candidate, the party mistakenly and inadvertently submitted the name of Uche Chidiebube Jasper as its deputy governorship candidate.
“By this letter, the party hereby affirms that Igwe Philip Okey remains the party’s deputy governorship candidate for Abia state in the forthcoming election.
The name of Uche Chidiebube Jasper mistakenly forwarded to the Party on February 10 should be disregarded. Please note that the particulars of lgwe Philip Okey earlier submitted to the Commission remains valid and should be acted upon by the commission.”
When asked about the letter that has been circulating in the social media, Elder Abraham simply said, “The fact is that we in Abia state are not battling with our NWC.”
