Abia PDP urges INEC to complete Presidential, National Assembly polls in Abia North

Denies party has two guber running mates

Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice Chairman and Acting Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah, yesterday, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to complete the National Assembly elections in parts of the state where polls were inconclusive.

He also denied that the party has two deputy governorship candidates, Philip Igwe, who was running mate to late Prof. Uche Ikonne and Dr. Jasper Uche, who emerged running mate to Okey Ahaiwe, who succeeded late Ikonne.

Armah, who addressed journalists at Umuahia, the state capital, said INEC should conduct the National Assembly poll in about 72 polling units in Abia North, where, he said, there are about 70,000 registered voters.

He said results already announced by INEC were partial; hence, polls were not held in all polling units in Abia North, because of late arrival and non-arrival of materials and polling officers.

On the issue of two deputy candidates, the state PDP Spokesman said the national leadership of the party has done the needful and corrected the anomaly.

Armah, however, did not disclose the name of the deputy governorship candidate.

However, The Guardian gathered that, in a letter dated February 20, 2023, which was jointly signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, respectively, the PDP affirmed to INEC National Chairman that Igwe remains the deputy governorship candidate of Abia PDP for Saturday’s governorship election.

Armah told journalists that the state PDP stands by decisions on matters exclusive to the party’s national leadership.

According to him, the PDP has taken steps and done all that are legitimate to win next Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly polls, and re-claim the governor and majority members of the state House of Assembly.