Michael Onwuka, Enugu
No fewer than nine aspirants are jostling for the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the ongoing primaries of the party, Ikengaonline reports.
Ikengaonline further reports that 19 aspirants purchased the nomination form of the party.
However, prior to voting, eight of the aspirants announced their withdrawal from the primaries in support of Mr. Peter Mba.
The aspirants who announced their withdrawals are Messrs Chukwudi Nneji, Kingsley Udeh, Erasmus Anike and Nwabueze Ugwu.
The rest are Ifeanyichukwu Nwoye, Onyekwere Nnaji, Beloved-Dan Anike and Gabriel Ajah.
The Chairman of the PDP Gubernatorial Electoral Committee in Enugu State, Sen. Zik Sunday, mentioned the aspirants still in the race to include Messrs Peter Mba, Chijioke Edeoga, Hillary Edeoga, Ken Onoh and Prof. Barth Nnaji.
The rest are Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Mr Ken Onoh and Prof. Barth Nnaji.
Sunday said that 765 delegates out of the 767 eligible delegates were accredited for the exercise.
He said that at the close of accreditation, two delegates from Oji River Local Government Area did not come.
The electoral committee chairman said that independent observers, including officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were on ground to monitor the proceedings.
He described Enugu as a strong PDP state, adding that the exercise would produce a credible candidate for the general election in 2023.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that Ekweremadu had in a statement early hours of Wednesday announced his withdrawal from the contest.
Ikengaonline further reports that voting at the primaries holding in the main-bowl of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, started by 2: 22pm.
