The National Executive Committee, NEC of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has concluded those who would be its 2023 flag bearers and forwarded their names to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for publication.
This was contained in a statement issued and made available to journalists by the PDP Stalwart, Barrister Silas Onu in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State Capital.
Barrister Onu said Section 31(3) of the PDP Constitution in 2017 and the effect of the decision by the party's NEC on the submitted names of the candidates for the various elected offices to the INEC has stamped the authenticity of Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii as the party's 2023 gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State.
According to Onu, "yesterday, the National Executive Committee of our great party, the Officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nigeria, unequivocally stamped its approval of the names submitted by the Party to INEC as candidates for the various offices ranging from Houses of Assemblies, House of Representatives, Senate, Gubernatorial and Presidential elections come 2023.
"For us in Ebonyi State, this is in line with the recent Court of Appeals decision in the Appeal by Senator Joseph Obinna Ogba, where the Court emphatically held that it is the political party that has the option of who it intends to sponsor as a candidate for election and where there are two primaries, the party can decide which of the two it intends to rely on.
"By the decision of NEC yesterday the 8th of September, 2022 and especially in paragraph 6 of the communique released afterwards, it is abundantly clear that the party has decided to work with the primary elections on the 28 & 29 of May, 2022."
He maintained: "For the avoidance of doubt, the particular resolution in the published communique reads “NEC unanimously ratified the list of candidates of the PDP as submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the NWC.”
"Needless to state that the names submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the NWC are those of the primaries conducted on the 28th and 29th of May, 2022.
"For further emphasis, May I, once again, refer to a holding in the court of appeal decision in the appeal by Sen. Joseph Obinna Ogba delivered on 1st September 2022 to the effect that neither the Court nor INEC can decide a candidate for the political party. So, the PDP has decided and very clearly too.
"The implication of the decision of the NEC is to ratify the decisions and actions of the NWC regarding the names sent to INEC. It is important to mention here that under Section 31 (3) of the PDP constitution, 2017 (as amended), the decision of the National Executive Committee SHALL be binding on all organs and members of the Party.
"As earlier held by my humble self, the window is already firmly closed against any political party to substitute the names already submitted to INEC for the 2023 elections and only a specific Order by a Court of competent jurisdiction acting on an action duly filed within the constitutional timeframe of 14 days after the cause of action arose, can alter the state of the names already submitted and such an order must be directed at INEC, not PDP - PDP is already functus officio on this matter.
"Finally, it is my earnest expectation that all those who participated in the unlawful primaries of 4th and 5th June 2022 will, by now, realize that the ship has sailed and found a new path to pursue, politically. This issue is already over and it is in the interest of their mental and physical health for each of them to face reality and quit acts of self-deception.
"I cannot conclude without profoundly congratulating all our candidates for Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate and especially our Gubernatorial Candidate - Chief Dr Chukwuma Ifeanyi Odii. The storm is over."
