Party's general elections guidelines not ready – Organising Secretary

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that its guidelines for 2019 presidential primary election was not yet ready.

The party disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Organising Secretary, Retired Col. Austin Akobundu on Sunday in Abuja.

Akobundu said that the clarification became necessary following a publication by a national daily titled “PDP list guidelines for presidential aspirants, demands N12m for forms.

“We wish to state categorically that the party is still in the process of drawing up the guidelines for its presidential primary election.

“It is therefore misleading to claim that the party has ‘listed its guidelines’ not to talk of the cost of nomination forms.

“At the appropriate time the proposals will be presented to NEC of the party which will approve as it deems fit.

“Only then can one say that it has the guidelines for the 2018 presidential primary election.”

Akobundu said that the party’s National Working Committee of the PDP, under the leadership of Prince Uche Secondus, was committed to adhering strictly to the PDP Constitution.

He noted that the constitution in Chapter 8 (50) (1) grants NEC the power to formulate the guidelines for aspirants in any of its Party Primaries, the presidential primary inclusive.

Akobundu appreciated the interest in the party’s electoral processes and said PDP was always ready to respond to any enquiries and to make all necessary information available.

The national organising secretary urged the general public, party members and they PDP presidential aspirants to disregard the said publication.

“The authentic guidelines for PDP presidential primary election will be released as soon as they are considered by the organs of the party.”