Concerns over non-publication of delegates list and centres where today’s primaries for election of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates for Abia State House of Assembly election in 2015 dominated a pre-congress interactive meeting held at the party secretariat in Umuahia yesterday.

Most of the 160 aspirants vying for the 24 tickets for the race to the House of Assembly attended the mid-day gatherinng where the son of the governor, Engr. Chinedum Orji, warned his fellow aspirants against dropping the names of the Abia first family members for electoral gains.

Abia PDP chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka, while addressing the aspirants, explained that the meeting was called by the party executive to ensure a peaceful conduct of the November 29 primaries.

Nwaka said that Abia PDP has been adjudged the most peaceful chapter in the country, advising the aspirants not to indulge in anything that would dent that record.

“I considered it important to have this interactive meeting with you. Tomorrow is the D-day for the primaries. We have done the best we can as human beings to comply with the guidelines and the constitution of our party. We will guarantee a level playing field for all,” Nwaka said.

He warned the aspirants to eschew violence in all its ramifications but should engage in issues-based campaigns.

He further warned those who have anything that may disqualify them from standing in the main election after picking the party’s ticket to quietly withdraw, stressing tha PDP would not afford to lose a seat it won in the main election only for its candidate to be discovered not qualified to have contested in the first place.

“No good coach goes to any contest with wounded players. Our ticket is like a boarding pass because anyone who secures it is as good as being there. If you have any forged document or any impediments at all, please come quietly to us and withdraw from the race,” Nwaka said.

In his contribution, Engr. Chinedum Orji, first son of Abia governor, who is contesting for the Umuahia Central state constituency ticket in the primaries, warned other aspirants against dropping the names of his father, mother, and himself to woo the delegates.

“Stop that. Name-dropping won’t work. Drop the name of your stakeholders in your constituency,” Chinedum Orji said. Suing for a fruad-free primaries, he said that if a popular candidate was rigged out and the person so affected decides to jump party, PDP may be in toruble.

Chinedum Orji said those speculating that he was contesting so that he would in the end emerge Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly or that he has been disqualified from the race were merely engaging in rumours and propaganda.

In their various contributions, some aspirants, including Isienyi Boniface (Ikwuano State Constituency), and Okechukwu Dike (Bende South) expressed concerns over the non-publication of list of delegates and centres where the primaries would hold.

Nwaka assured that the delegates’ list and centres would be published before the primaries.

•Photo shows Abia PDP Chairman, Emma Nwaka.

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