The Abia State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has fixed February 4th for a fresh governorship primary to pick a replacement for late Professor Uchenna Ikonne, THE WHISPERER has learnt.
The date was picked after a stakeholders meeting on Friday afternoon in Umuahia.
Confirming the date to THE WHISPERER, a chieftain of the party who refused to be named said: “Our primary would hold on 4th February. So far, we have four people in the race.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Abia State chapter should conduct a fresh primary within 14 days following the death of its governorship candidate, Uchenna Ikonne.
Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, told Daily Sun that since the election is still one month aware, the State’s ruling party still have the window to conduct fresh primary within 14 days of Ikonne’s death.
He further explained that; “if the candidate dies when polls have commenced, section 34(3)(b) of the Act provides that the running mate shall continue with the election and nominate a new running mate.”
The commission further warned that should the PDP fail to conduct fresh primaries within 14 days of the death of the candidate, it is assumed that they will not have a candidate in the election.
