The chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Ebonyi state chapter, Mr Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Tuesday debunked the rumours making round that the state governor, David Umahi, has anointed candidates for elections into the substantive 13 local government areas of the state.
Explaining further on the elections, which is slated to hold on 25th April 2020, he said that neither the governor nor the party has endorsed anyone.
He noted that the elections are to be free and fair to all emphasising that the choice of the electorate is the ultimate deciding factor.
The chairman stated that the primaries for the elections would be free and fair since such is the only way to keep the party strong and united.
His words, “the rumour making the round that the party and by extension the leader of the party in the state have anointed some aspirants for the forthcoming local government election in the state is completely far from the truth.
“The leader of the party never endorsed anyone. Instead, he encouraged all our members to contest for any position they are qualified to contest. He has not anointed anybody, the party has not endorsed anybody.
“The primaries will be free and fair completely on a clean slate and whoever the people wants will have the mandate of the people. PDP want to enthrone true democracy beginning from the grass root and that is the only way our party can be strong.
“The price of the form is almost what we had last time and moreover, it is the duty of the party at the national level to fix prices for form and not the state chapter. So, that cannot discourage anybody from participating because the party need this fund to also run the election starting from the primaries.
“Want to commend INEC for de-registering political parties that are not performing as political parties because the essence of forming political parties is to win elections. In my own personal opinion, any party that fails to win one seat in all the elective positions in the federation should not a answer political party”.
Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly has approved the sum of N180 million for the EBSIEC for the elections.
