Some aggrieved governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called for the cancellation of the ad hoc congresses and primary elections of the party held in the state.
Their call, according to a statement tagged “IMPUNITY UPON IMPUNITY” in Uyo on Sunday, follows claims of alleged irregularities and illegalities in the concluded processes.
The aggrieved aspirants, including Ide Owodiong Idemeko, Mr James Iniama, David Okpon, and Hon Idoreyin Umoh accused some chieftains of the party of resorting to mundane considerations instead of allowing a level playing field for all.
They called for the immediate invalidation of the primaries conducted for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate positions using the three ad hoc delegates per ward in the state on grounds of its illegality.
According to them, one of the irregularities in the field was that ad hoc delegates did not go through any proper identification and accreditation process before allowing entrance into the venue for governorship primaries.
They also claimed that the list of ad hoc delegates was not published for all aspirants to be properly informed of who to consult and engage.
The trio said only the government-sponsored aspirant, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno had prior knowledge of who the ad hoc delegates were, and only he was able to meet with them before the primaries, adding that he and his wife were listed as ad hoc delegates and had the opportunity to vote for themselves, a privilege other aspirants were denied.
They, therefore, urged the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee of the party to cancel the gubernatorial primaries in Akwa Ibom State pending the hearing and determination of the reliefs contained in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/606/22.
