Ebonyi LG Election: Umahi Hasn’t Endorsed Anybody – PDP

David Umahi, Governor, Ebonyi State

By Ruth Oginyi

The Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has debunked allegation that the state governor, Engr. David Umahi and the party have already endorsed some candidate ahead of the local government election in the state.

Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission had recently released time table for Local Government and Wards Councillorship Election in the state.

The state chairman of the party, Barr Onyekachi Nwebonyi made this known to Journalists on Tuesday during media interaction.

The party clarification is coming up even as the state House of Assembly on Monday approved the sum of N180million for the April 2020 local government elections.

The party said contrary to speculations especially on social media and assured its members of transparent primaries to enable the electorate to elect their leaders during the elections.

According to him, the party is poised to enthrone true democracy from the grassroot and would not compromise in the election.

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Nwebonyi promised that the party primaries for the elections will be free and fair to enable the people elect those that will represent them at the grassroot level in the next four years.

His words, “the rumour making the round that the party and by extension the leader of the party in the state have anointed some aspirants for the forthcoming local government election in the state is completely far from the truth.

“The leader of the party never endorsed anyone. Instead, he encouraged all our members to contest for any position they are qualified to contest. He has not anointed anybody, the party has not endorsed anybody. The primaries will be free and fair completely on a clean slate and whoever the people want will have the mandate of the people. PDP want to enthrone true democracy beginning from the grass root and that is the only way our party can be strong.

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“The price of the form is almost what we had last time and moreover, it is the duty of the party at the national level to fix prices for form and not the state chapter. So, that cannot discourage anybody from participating because the party needs this fund to also run the election starting from the primaries.

“Want to commend INEC for de-registering political parties that are not performing as political parties because the essence of forming political parties is to win elections. In my own personal opinion, any party that fails to win one seat in all the elective positions in the federation should not answer political party.”

Nwebonyi who used the opportunity to commend the Independent National Election Commission for deregistering seventy four political parties, who could not win election and have not performed well according to the electoral act, also said that in line with the 35% affirmative action women aspirants are given 50% discount in the purchase of form.

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Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly, on Monday approved the sum of N180million for the conduct of the election.

The approval took place during the plenary of the House following a letter to the House by Governor Dave Umahi seeking for the approval of the fund for the Ebonyi state Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC).


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