NewsAggrieved Aspirants Boycott Akwa Ibom Senate Primary

Aggrieved Aspirants Boycott Akwa Ibom Senate Primary

May 24, (THEWILL) – Some senatorial aspirants in Akwa Ibom on Monday, served withdrawal notice to boycott the May 23rd Peoples Democratic Party primary held across the three Senatorial districts of the state.

Among those were aspirant for Akwa Ibom North West, (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District, Otuekong Inibehe Okori; Eket Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom South), Mr Ephraim Inyang-eyen and other aggrieved aspirants.

Explaining reasons for the boycott, aggrieved aspirants stated that they were hamstrung to participate in the race, due to the pending court matter concerning “unapproved Ad-Hoc delegates” to the exercise.

Their withdrawal from participation in the exercise is coming as the speaker of the state house of Assembly, Hon Aniekan Bassey, Mr Ekong Sampson and Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, emerged their party’s flagbearers for Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene senatorial district respectively.

In a statement addressed to the Chairman, PDP National Assembly Senate committee, made available to Newsmen in Uyo, Okori, a founding member of PDP said, “Following the court ruling given on order in suit number; FHC\ABJ\CS\606\22 between Hon. Friday Iwok vs INEC and others, on 18 May, 2022, by the Federal High Court, Abuja, that status quo ante bellum, pending the hearing and determination of the suit as per the application for rejoinder of the over 900 Ad-Hoc.

“Therefore, it is our 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.”

He said it will constitute “a breach of the Court order to participate in the primaries of the PDP and therefore, urged delegates and supporters to remain calm while waiting for the matter to be determined.”

In the same vein, a former commissioner of works and former chief of staff to governor Udom Emmanuel, Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen, said, “I am in possession of an enrolled order of court wherein it pronounced that the PDP, which I am a member should maintain status quo ante bellum in a case involving whether or not the contentious issue of ad-hoc delegates be used for the election of flagbearers of the party in the forthcoming general election.

“A court of first instance which is equally of competent jurisdiction has made a pronouncement on the matter which was correctly and legally interpreted to mean that statutory delegates are yet to to be approved for the purposes of nominating candidates for the general election, to this extent and in obedience to the court orders, I, hereby, disassociate myself from whatever the party intends to do using the unapproved adhoc delegates list today, 23rd May, 2022”

He said his refusal to join to the “charade”, was in total obedience to the court order, adding that he doesn’t want to be seen as or charged for contempt of court

However, Mr Ayo Odugbesan, PDP National Officer,
the PDP state Chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan and governor Udom Emmanuel, described the contest as hitch-free.

According to Akpan, “the party has not contradicted any law by conducting the exercise” and urged aggrieved members not to overheat the polity with protest.

Also, Odugbesan appealed for calm, noting that “protest in any game is normal.”

Governor Emmanuel, who commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise across the 26 state constituencies, 10 Federal Constituencies and three Senatorial Districts, underscored the importance of internal unity and cohesion in the party ahead of the general elections.

He stressed the need for the aggrieved aspirants to consider toeing the line of peace as he would soon extend the hands of fellowship for reconciliation and rebuilding of the party.

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