The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has voiced its dissatisfaction with the party’s absence from the recent local government elections held across the state. The elections, which took place on Saturday, covered the 171 wards in all 13 councils of Ebonyi.
Steve Oruruo, the Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in Ebonyi, expressed disappointment in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki. Oruruo attributed the party’s non-participation to ongoing leadership crises within the party.
“We are not pleased with the fact that we could not field any candidates. It is essential to stabilize and strengthen our party before we can successfully nominate candidates for elections,” Oruruo stated. He emphasized that despite the challenges, including leadership disputes, the party is focused on unity and rebuilding.
Oruruo urged PDP members to remain united and committed to strengthening the party, stating, “We are currently working on building a robust and cohesive platform to ensure our party emerges stronger. A single-party dominance in Ebonyi is detrimental to democratic processes.”
The major opposition parties in the state, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party, and others, also failed to field candidates for the elections. Dr. James Igwe, a political analyst, criticized the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) for not providing a fair environment for all parties.
He called on EBSIEC to support democratic development by conducting more inclusive and transparent elections.Attempts to reach Mr. Jossy Eze, Chairman of EBSIEC, for comment were unsuccessful as his phone was turned off.