By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The Imo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced that a total of 192 delegates have emerged from the three-man Ad-hoc Ward Congress Delegates for the primary of Okigwe Senatorial District which held today, August 30.
The senatorial election is slated for Saturday, September 5.
A statement by the state publicity secretary of the PDP in Imo State, Ogubundu Nwadike, the election, which held on Saturday, August 29, in all of the 64 wards of the 6 LGAs in Imo North (Okigwe Zone) Senatorial District was transparent, rancour-free, fair and credible, without any negative reports from any of the wards.
Nwadike said earlier on Friday, August 28, the 3-man Ad-hoc Ward Congress Committee from the National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja was presented to the State Chairman, Engr. Charles Ugwuh by the State Organizing Secretary, Nze Law Biaduo.
“The Committee members from Abuja included Hon. Barr. Chuba Oranusi (Chairman), Comrade Chinomso Obasi (Secretary) and Mrs. Atuegbu Ego (Member), Mr. Nduka Onyeso (Member), Mr. Humphrey Iloh (Member).
“In a brief address on Saturday, August 29, 2020 at the party’s State Secretariat, Owerri, the Committee Chairman, Hon. Barr. Chuba Oranusi, stated they were delegated to observe and supervise the conduct of the election of the 3-man Ad-hoc Ward Delegates for the primary election in Okigwe Senatorial District which will be conducted on September 5, 2020. He addressed the Electoral Committee appointed by the State Working Committee (SWC), with some members of the SWC present,” Nwadike said.
The Imo PDP spokesman explained that the SWC members who were present at the briefing included the State Deputy Chairman, Sir Martin Ejiogu; the State Secretary, Hon. Nze Ray Emeaña; the State Organizing Secretary, Nze Law Biaduo; the State Auditor, Hon. Chief Godson Nwaobasi; the State Youth Leader, Hon. Greg Nwadike GOC; and the State Publicity Secretary, Ogubundu Nwadike.
“In his brief speech, Hon. Barr. Oranusi thanked Imo PDP SWC for the orderly, transparent ways they have prepared for the 3-man Ad-hoc Ward Delegates election in Imo North Senatorial District, urging the members of the Electoral Committee to remain honest, transparent and accountable all through the exercise, stressing that for their appointment into the Electoral Committee, the party holds them in high esteem,” he said.
Responding, Sir Martin Ejiogu, State Deputy Chairman, who stood in for the State Chairman, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, thanked the NWC Committee members for coming. He noted that to further assure against any acts inimical to the freeness, fairness and credibility of the exercise, Imo PDP SWC insisted that nobody from Okigwe Zone made the list of the Electoral Committee, as all the Electoral Committee members were drawn from Orlu and Owerri zones.
He said at the end of the 3-man Ad-hoc Ward Delegates election, the Electoral Committee presented their reports to the Imo PDP SWC.
“The successful conduct of the 3-man Ad-hoc Ward Delegates election in the 64 Wards of the 6 LGAs of Okigwe Zone is another remarkable milestone in the very transparent, free, fair, and credible processes so far towards the primary election on Saturday, September 5, 2020 that will produce the PDP candidate for the October 31, 2020 bye-election,” he said.
He explained that on Wednesday, August 26, two aspirants, Hon. Patrick Ndubueze, and Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu were cleared to participate in the September 5, 2020 primary election by the Screening Committee from the National Working Committee (NWC).