Many aspirants on Monday boycotted the Senate primary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa-Ibom following massive discontent.
As many as 15 aspirants shunned the exercise, one of them reportedly said.
Aspirants, who stayed away from the exercise said their decision was due to a subsisting court order by a the Federal High Court Abuja against the use of adhoc delegates for the party’s primaries.
In a petition addressed to the chairman PDP National Assembly Senate Primary Election Committee, one of the aspirants, Mr. Inibehe Okori said he will not violate the court order by participating in the exercise.
Okori, an aspirant for Akwa Ibom Northwest(Ikot Ekpene), said, “Following the ruling given on an order in suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/606/22 between Hon. Friday Iwok and ors vs INEC and ors, on 18th May, 2022 by the Federal High Court, Abuja, that the parties maintain Status Quo Ante Bellum pending the hearing and determination of the suit as per the application for rejoinder of the over 900 ad hoc delegates, I hereby state as follows:
“That it is my 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.
“That it will constitute a breach of a court order to participate in the primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) set to hold today, to field candidates for the Senatorial Election .
“Following the above, I, Hon. Inibehe Okori, will not participate in the primaries slated for today 23rd May 2022. This does not mean my withdrawal from the race or from my party; this only restates my intention, as a law-abiding citizen, to work within the confines and stipulations of the law.”
Another aspirant, Ephraim Inyang-eyen for Akwa Ibom South(Eket) Senatorial district issued a similar statement disassociating himself from the exercise.
Inyang-eyen said, “Myself, my agent and supporters therefore shall not participate in the nomination exercise as delegates to be so used by the Party are not recognised by the laws of the land.
“The refusal of myself and members of my team to participate is not a withdrawal from the race. I am still so much in the race to serve my people of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District.
“Our refusal to join the charade is in total obedience to court orders as we don’t want to be seen or charged for contempt of court.
“We shall participate in the nomination when matters have been reolved by the court and the leadership of the Party”.
“At this point, I would like to appeal to our teeming suppprters to remain law abiding, faithful to the course and resolute as the temporary excitement of our opponents is for a period of time.
However, the exercise took place at designated centres for Akwa Ibom South (Eket), Akwa Ibom Northwest (Ikot Ekpene) and Akwa Ibom Northeast(Uyo) Senatorial districts.
There was no reported case of violence as the exercise was generally peaceful across the three Senatorial districts.
The Senate nomination of the party was supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the Chairman National Assembly-Senate Primary election in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Edwards Ayo-Odugbeson.
At the time of filing this report, results for Akwa Ibom Northwest (Ikot Ekpene) and Akwa Ibom Northeast (Uyo) had been received.
Speaker Aniekan Bassey emerged candidate for Akwa Ibom Northeast (Uyo) while the immediate past National legal adviser of the PDP, Mr. Emmanuel Enoidem won for Akwa Ibom Northwest (Ikot Ekpene).
A former commissioner for Environment and Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ekong Sampson, won for Akwa Ibom South(Eket) Senatorial district.
