PDP Convention: Anyim Raises Alarm Over ‘Absence’ Of Ebonyi Delegates List

Pius Anyim, former Senate President and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Friday, raised an alarm over absence of delegates from Ebonyi State in the party’s delegate list ahead of its presidential primaries.

Mr Anyim stated this in a letter of concern addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and the Chairman of the party’s Special Convention, David Mark.

“The chairman may recall that during the meeting of presidential aspirants and the Special Convention Committee held on the 26th day of May, 2022 at the Legacy House, the entire delegates list for all the states were presented to each of the aspirants.

“On an examination of the list, I discovered that the Ebonyi State delegates list was not included. On inquiry from the National Organising Secretary, he informed me that there was a technical error and it will be corrected today,” Mr Anyim said.

But the presidential aspirant expressed disappointment that despite the assurances of the National Organising Secretary of the party, the problem was yet to be rectified as of 12 p.m. on Friday.

“The purpose of this letter is to alert all concerned that disenfranchising delegates from Ebonyi State or any state for that matter will fundamentally affect the election,” he added.

Mr Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, hails from Ebonyi State.

The PDP has slated its primaries for May 28 and May 29.

Mr Anyim is expected to get the majority of his votes from the state during the party primaries.

Peter Obi, a former PDP presidential aspirant who recently resigned his membership of the party and defected to the Labour Party, has accused PDP of holding practices that are at variance with his “persona and principles.”

Both Messrs Obi and Anyim hail from South-east Nigeria, one of the regions pushing to produce a president in 2023.

PDP came under fire recently from some South-east leaders after the party threw its presidential ticket open. The party’s decision came in the heat of the South-east region’s clamour for Nigeria’s next president to come from the region.