Prince Ken Emeakayi [above] debunked the rumour making rounds that both Ekwunife and PDP had been disqualified by the appellate court.
Peter Obi [2nd left] with the three erstwhile PDP Senators, Oduah, Ubah and Ekwunife
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) plans to conduct primaries to represent the party’s flag bearer in the forthcoming fresh Anambra Central Senatorial District election following the order of the Court of Appeal in Enugu.
The court had last month disqualified the incumbent Senator Uche Ekwunife of the PDP on the strength of appeal by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh.
The move to conduct fresh poll came on the heel of a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Umeh to disqualify Ekwunife based on the order of the Court of Appeal.
But the PDP Chairman in the State, Prince Ken Emeakayi held a special meeting with candidate and party members from the Central Senatorial District at the Party’s Secretariat, at Udoka – Awka, Monday (January 4, 2016).
In the meeting, he debunked the rumour making rounds that both Ekwunife and PDP had been disqualified by the appellate court.
He pointed out that the National Working Committee of the Party had taken steps for the party to represent its candidate for the senatorial election billed within 90 days of the date of nullification of the poll.
Emeakayi hailed the acting National Chairman, Uche Secondus and the South East Leader and National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh.
He assured party members: “we shall not leave any stone unturned and shall deploy all constitutional instruments and legitimate means to reclaim our mandate in the position of Senator for Anambra Central Senatorial poll.”
He disclosed that Senator Ekwunife “has the right of offer of first refusal which can only be rejected or ratified by the Senatorial Congress.
“That is without prejudice to the right of any other member of our party from Anambra Central District to present himself/herself to contest and participate in the exercise, allowing members of the Anambra Central Senatorial Distinct Congress to exercise their franchise in line with the provisions of the PDP 2012 law (as amended).”
Present at the meeting include PDP Senatorial aspirants in the last Anambra Central Senatorial District primary namely, Ekwunife, Sylvester Okonkwo, Obiora Okonkwo.
Senator Annie Okonkwo, who contested the primary in court with Ekwunife and presently claiming to have been given the slot on the basis of the court order, was absent.
Uche Osiberoha