With hours to the conduct of the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, there are serious concerns that some of the Ad hoc delegates may have been taken into hiding by some aspirants to prevent them from being lobbied or pressurised to change their mind on their chosen candidate to fly the party’s flag in the 2023 general elections.
NewsNet Nigeria gathered that some of the delegates are already being secretly lodged in hotels in Asaba, the state capital and their phones taken away from them to restrict their communications until after casting their votes tomorrow Wednesday.
There is also the speculation that some of the Ad hoc delegates are being subjected to oath-taking to instil fear in them in changing their mind based on the notion that most of the delegates may be double-dealing in order to get more financial inducement from the aspirants.
It was learnt that following the development, some party agents have started raising alarm to draw the attention of the party’s hierarchy to intervene.
Our findings revealed that not less than 845 delegates are expected to participate in the gubernatorial primary.
Delta North with nine local government areas will be parading 309 delegates, Delta Central 263 and Delta South 273.
Earlier on Tuesday the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza had in a statement announced that the Governorship primary election will hold tomorrow, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, as scheduled.
Osuoza said the programme for the primary as directed and approved by the National Secretariat is as follows:
1. ACCREDITATION VENUE: EVENT CENTRE, ASABA
2. ACCREDITATION STARTS: 9AM
3. ELECTION VENUE: STEPHEN KESHI STADIUM, ASABA
The statement added that anyone who is not directly involved with the exercise is STRICTLY advised to stay away from or near the perimeters of all aforementioned venues until the exercise is duly completed.