MORE CONFUSION: Chikamnayo Counters Abraham Amah On Abia PDP Deputy Governorship Candidate

Barely five days to the 2023 governorship election in Abia State, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to resolve their internal crisis especially on the controversy trailing who the authentic deputy governorship candidate of the party is.

Recall that the death of Professor Uche Ikonne in less than three months to the governorship election had created a vacuum in the PDP structure. The party however conducted a fresh primary election on February 4, 2023 to elect a new governorship candidate to replace Ikonne.

That election resulted to the emergence of Chief Okey Ahiwe, a former chief of staff to governor Okezie Ikpeazu as the new governorship candidate of Abia PDP.

However, another trouble ensued after the State Working Committee (SWC) of the PDP submitted the name of Dr. Jasper Uche to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the new deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, pushing out Honourable Okey Igwe who was Ikonne's running mate before his demise.

https://youtu.be/Fe2MI9cX-6Q

The party's decision however did not augur well with Okey Igwe who is insisting that he remains the authentic deputy governorship candidate of Abia PDP as he has invested his time, energy and resources into the campaigns.

Though Abia PDP cited dual citizenship as the reason for replacing Igwe, the latter vehemently refused the position of the party and has approached a law court.

On the heels of the confusion, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP in a letter signed by the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu and addressed to INEC, said the party made a mistake by submitting Jasper Uche's name in place of Okey Igwe as the party's deputy governorship candidate in Abia.

"By this letter, the party affirms that Igwe Phillip Okye remains the party's deputy governorship candidate for Abia state in the forthcoming election" the letter dated February 20, 2023, read in part.

Addressing journalists in Umuahia on Sunday, March 5, on the confusion created over the deputy governorship candidate of the Abia PDP, Abraham Amah, the Abia PDP Vice Chairman and acting State Publicity Secretary of the party stated that the NWC of the party have the final say on the submission of candidates' names to INEC.

"In the past, our national office has never imposed anybody on Abia PDP. We are not contending anything with them and in the submission of names, they are the final authority. We have not contended any position they have taken. We stand by our NWC,ÔÇØ Abraham Amah said.

Countering Amah's statement on Monday, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia state, Honourable Eze Chikamnayo waved off the NWC's position, insisting that Dr. Jasper Uche remains the authentic deputy governorship candidate of the party in the state.

Chikamnayo maintained that there is no confusion in Abia PDP and urged party faithfuls to carry on with their campaigns and ensure that the party's candidates clinches victory at the forthcoming governorship and State House of Assembly elections.