By Ovie Okpare
The primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for State Houses of Assembly and House of Representatives will hold tomorrow (Sunday), NIGER DELTA TODAY can authoritatively report.
Sources within the leadership of the PDP told our correspondent that the party decided to go ahead with the primaries after feelers from the Presidency indicated that President Muhammadu Buhari will not be signing the newly amended Electoral Act.
With the development, only three elected ad hoc delegates per ward and one elected national delegate per local government will vote at the primaries beginning tomorrow.
Both leading political parties – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) – have been waiting for President Buhari to the re-amended Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act 2022 by the National Assembly.
Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act 2022 states that delegates to vote at indirect primaries and National Convention of political parties to elect candidates for elections shall be those democratically elected for that purpose only.
Our sources added that primary for States Houses of Assembly will hold exactly 8am on Sunday while primary those of House of Representatives take place about 12noon same day.
Meanwhile, a statement issued late Saturday night by the National Organizing Secretary of the party, Mr. Umar M. Bature, confirmed our report.
The statement read, “This is to inform Aspirants to various elective positions in the 2023 general election, Delegates and teeming members of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that our Primaries to nominate candidates for the 2023 general elections will commence as officially scheduled on Sunday, May 22, 2022.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the State Houses of Assembly Primaries to elect our State House of Assembly candidates will hold on Sunday, May 22, 2022, the House of Representatives Primaries to elect our House of Representatives candidates will also hold on Sunday, May 22, 2022 while the Senatorial Primary to elect our Senatorial candidates will hold on Monday, May 23, 2022.
“”The National Working Committee has approved that in the event of unforeseen logistic situations activities of the Senatorial Primary may extend to Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
“”The NWC further clarifies that by virtue of Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act, 2022, those qualified and eligible to vote as delegates in the forthcoming Primaries and National Convention of our great Party are the three (3) AD-HOC Delegates per ward, elected at the Ward Congresses and one (1) National Delegate per Local Government, elected at the Local Government Area Congresses.
“All aspirants, critical stakeholders, leaders and teeming members of our Party should please take note.”
