By CHARLES IWUOHA

A Chieftain of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Mr Silas Onu, has affirmed that the party’s primaries held on 4th and 5th June, 2022 in the state remain valid.

Ọnụ, in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki on Friday, said the National Executive Committee of the party, has unequivocally stamped and approved the names submitted by the Party to INEC as candidates for various offices ranging from Houses of Assemblies, House of Representatives, Senate, Gubernatorial and Presidential elections come 2023.

He further stated that in Ebonyi State, with the recent Court of Appeals decision in the Appeal by Senator Joseph Obinna Ogba, the Court has emphatically ruled that it is the political party that has the option of who it intends to sponsor as candidate for election.

"Where there are two primaries, the party can decide which of the two it intends to rely on.

"By the decision of NEC yesterday, the 8th of September, 2022 and especially in paragraph 6 of the communiqué released afterwards, it is abundantly clear that the party has decided to work with the primary elections of 28 & 29 of May, 2022.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the particular resolution in the published communiqué reads “NEC unanimously ratified the list of candidates of the PDP as submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the NWC.”

According to the statement, the names submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the NWC are those of the primaries conducted on 28th and 29th May, 2022.

“For the purpose of further emphasis, May I, once again, refer to a holding in the court of appeal decision in the appeal by Sen. Joseph Obinna Ogba delivered on 1st September, 2022 to the effect that neither the Court nor INEC can decide a candidate for the political party. So, the PDP has decided and very clearly too.

“The implication of the decision of NEC is to ratify the decisions and actions of the NWC regarding the names sent to INEC. It is important to mention here that pursuant to Section 31 (3) of the PDP constitution, 2017 (as amended), the decision of the National Executive Committee SHALL be binding on all organs and members of the Party.

The party chieftain who recently approached the apex court to challenge his removal by the appeal court as Ebonyi State PDP Chairman, added that the primaries conducted by him still remain valid as the window by INEC for substitution of names has already closed against any political party for the 2023 elections.

Continuing, he stated that only a specific Order by a Court of competent jurisdiction acting on an action duly filed within the constitutional timeframe of 14 days after the cause of action arose can alter the state of the names already submitted and such an order must be directed at INEC, not PDP.

“Finally, it is my earnest expectation that all those who participated in the unlawful primaries of 4th and 5th June, 2022 will, by now, realize that the ship has sailed and find a new path to pursue, politically.

“This issue is already over and it is in the interest of their mental and physical health for each of them to face reality and quit acts of self-deception,” Onu said.

He, therefore, lauded all candidates for the Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and especially the Gubernatorial Candidate, Dr. Chukwuma Ifeanyi Odii.