PDP To Conduct Fresh Guber Primary In Abia Following Ikonne’s Death

To replace its governorship candidate, Professor Uche Eleazar Ikonne, who passed away yesterday in Abuja, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has been ordered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold a new primary election within the next 14 days.

According to Ikonne’s family members, he suffered “several cardiac arrests” before passing away.

When instructing PDP to switch out its gubernatorial candidate, INEC made it clear that since voting had not yet begun, the party’s deputy governorship candidate could not immediately take over as the gubernatorial candidate.

Festus Okoye, the national commissioner for voter education and publicity at INEC, said THISDAY that the party had the right to have a new primary within 14 days by the requirements of the Electoral Act.

According to Okoye, the 14 days began when Ikonne passed away.

According to the national commissioner, he (the deputy governorship candidate) can only fly the flag if the election has started. Within 14 days following the death, they must hold a new primary before submitting to INEC.

Ikonne’s family officially announced his passing yesterday, stating that he died at the National Hospital in Abuja “after a brief illness” at 4 a.m.

The deceased’s son, Dr. Uche-Ikonne Chikezie, claimed in a three-paragraph statement that his late father had recovered after obtaining “appropriate therapy” abroad. However, according to Chikezie, his father regressed in response and ultimately passed away from “several cardiac arrests.”

After months of rumors regarding Ikonne’s whereabouts, Ikpeazu suddenly acknowledged during a radio broadcast that the candidate for governor was “lately indisposed.”

However, he had promised the populace that the ill candidate was improving gradually and steadily and that he would “return sooner or later.”