The ripples from last Saturday’s State House of Assembly primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State came to the front burner on Monday as the national leadership of the party overruled the governor, Martin Elechi, over the conduct of the primaries.
The party, however, announced the setting up of a three-man reconciliation committee made up of Governors Abia, Akwa Ibom and Ekiti States.
It would be recalled that Gov. Elechi had on Saturday declared that the PDP primaries did not hold in the state after a section of the party loyal to the immediate past governor, Dr. Sam Egwu, insisted that there were primaries.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Onyekachi Eni, claimed that the national leadership of the PDP had in response to certain developments in the party in four states decided to postpone the primary election to a later date.
The governor further lampooned those he described as ‘disgruntled’ politicians, who have continued “the deliberate acts of misinformation and falsehood” to blackmail the party and sow the seed of discord.
But the national leadership of the PDP in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, said it has since received the result of the primaries in Abuja.
The party said “in response to enquiries raised by a false media report, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to announce to the general public that the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Primaries was successfully conducted last Saturday, November 29, 2014.
“The NWC states that the result of the exercise has since been received at the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja.
“The national leadership urges members of the party, especially in Ebonyi state to totally disregard any other report as incorrect.
“However, a special three-man reconciliation committee has been set by the NWC to reconcile all major stakeholders in the state to achieve the desired unity before the general elections. The committee includes Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state, Theodore Orji of Abia state and Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State”.
