The Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe, on Wednesday backed out from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Abia State.
He announced his withdrawal while the primary election was ongoing, describing it as a sham and a journey by the state chapter of the party towards self-destruction because basic tenets of democracy were allegedly not observed.
Abaribe, in a statement made public, in Abuja, noted that the last couple of weeks had been tortuous as he and several other loyal party faithful battled hard to navigate the PDP away from a self-destructive path.
Further noting that the essence of the struggle was to create an unfettered democratic space and a level playing field for all aspirants vying for all elective offices in the state, to participate equally in the primary elections, Abaribe said “that was not the case and of course” but “what we are witnessing is a shambolic process driven by a procured court injunction.”
The statement read, “To make matters worse, the use of only an imaginary 3-man Adhoc delegates to the exclusion of the party’s statutory delegates in the primary elections to elect our candidates even when INEC the nation’s electoral umpire, has unequivocally stated that no congress held in Abia State for that purpose, has no doubt put the party and her candidates in a quagmire.
“The implication for our party is grave and as such has put all ongoing primary exercises on quick sand.
“I am known for standing firm in defence of my convictions for the right of all people to a free and fair democratic process.
“That was why my campaign set sail on a democratic journey that took us to all the nooks and crannies of our dear state.
“We covered all the local governments and we could see the enthusiasm on the faces of our people who are desirous of change to a progressive government with a human face.
“We committed human and material resources, preaching the ‘Rise Up Abia’ message for the total emancipation of our State from the drudgery of imposition and godfatherism, which has seen the state at the lowest rung of infrastructural, human and material development index among the states of the federation. “
According to the Senate Minority Leader, are tired of being subjected to being the butt of jokes and ridicule from their peers, particularly those from the contiguous states that were hitherto far behind Abia State in the development index in the time past.
He said that was the narrative he and his supporters sought to change when the campaign took off.
He lamented that it was unfortunate that these ugly developments ignited by a “rapacious ambition to maintain the wicked governance status quo of imposition and godfatherism have aborted this quest in PDP.”
He then said, “Accordingly, I, Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe will not be part of this charade.
“I am therefore not participating in the exercise, which means that I will not be part of the PDP governorship primary election that holds in Abia State on Wednesday 25th of May, 2022 as doing so would have amounted to endorsement of an illegality that is already being challenged in the courts.”
Abaribe called on the people of Abia State, especially his supporters, to remain calm.
FirstNews earlier on Wednesday, reported that the former Senate Deputy President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, also announced his withdrawal from the race for the PDP’s governorship ticket for Enugu State.
Ekweremadu, who announced his withdrawal in a statement by the Director General of Ekweremadu’s Ikeoha Campaign Organisation, Ogbo Asogwa,” said, “We wish to inform our supporters and Nigerians that the former Deputy President of the Senate and foremost governorship aspirant in Enugu State, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, will not be participating in the PDP governorship primary election scheduled for this Wednesday, May 25, 2022.