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About 24 hours to commencement of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries, disputes over the authentic delegates list and litigation are threatening the exercises.

Vanguard gathered that the Senator Iyorchia Ayu-led National Working Committee, NWC, spent a considerable amount of time deliberating on the issue at its regular meeting, yesterday.

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The party’s primaries for the election of state houses of assembly, governorship, National Assembly and presidential candidates are scheduled to begin with state assembly congresses on Saturday, May 21.

A member of the party is also in court seeking an order to stop the May 28 presidential primaries over refusal of the party to zone its presidential ticket as stipulated in its constitution. The party, last week, threw the ticket open to all parts of the country. Hearing in the suit will continue on May 25.

On Wednesday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, criticised President Muhammadu Buhari over his reluctance to sign the amended version of the Electoral Act, section 84 (8), which provides for elected officials to take part in primaries .

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He said the delay is part of the ruling party’s plot to disrupt preparations by opposition political parties in order to disenfranchise Nigerians.

The PDP spokesman said “It is not surprising but disappointing and dislocating.

“As at today, parties do not know for certain who the delegates are and democracy thrives on certainty.

“The APC is not a political party. It was cobbled together as a Special Purpose Vehicle to grab power. Now it is in power, look at where it has led us.”

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Apart from the super delegates, the PDP is also having issues with some state’s delegates, especially Anambra.

(Vanguard)