The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), held its primary elections nationwide yesterday to elect its flag bearer for the 2015 State Houses of Assembly election. The exercise was fraught was fraught with controversies in majority of the states

While violence and irregularities characterised the congresses in most of the constituencies, only a few of the constituencies witnessed peaceful exercise.

In most part of Ondo State the two existing factions held primaries at different venues while in  Idanre, Ondo East and West the two factions harmonised and held a successful exercise.

In Ogun State, the primary election was so controversial that the National Working Committee had to cancel the exercise.

Chairman of the PDP Electoral Panel for House of Assembly, Mr. Akeem Animasaun, who was expected to conduct the primaries, was absent while a member of the committee, Muyiwa Bolaji, claimed ignorance of the cancellation

The state’s party elders have disassociated themselves from the primaries and therefore called for nullification of the whole process. The PDP elders under the aegis of Concerned Elders, in a statement signed by Hon. Dave Salako, a former member of the House of Representatives, said the primaries were conducted by a group within the party in the state and the results should therefore be disregarded.

But the state chairman of the party, Engineer Bayo Dayo, said there was no iota of truth that the primaries was cancelled, insisting that it had the backing of the leadership of the party. He explained that the exercise was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere in all the 26 centres where the exercise was held.

The primary election was peaceful in Sokoto. The exercise led to the adoption of 17 consensus candidates out of the 23 local government areas.

The State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, who disclosed the outcome of the primaries to newsmen in Sokoto, said the party, conducted the primary elections in Dange/Shuni, Sokoto South, Sokoto North, Gwadabawa, Bodinga and Tambuwal local government areas and that it was devoid of violence.

Milgoma stated that the party provided a level-playing ground for all members to contest so as not to disenfranchise any person. He however, noted that adopting the consensus system had reduced intra-party squabbles.

Milgoma also stated that the consensus arrangement was being considered for the national assembly and gubernatorial primary elections of the party. No fewer than 1,156 delegates participated in the state assembly primary election.

In Abia State, the first son of the Governor, Chinedum Orji the PDP ticket for Umuahia Central state constituency. He won convincingly, polling 11 out of the 12 votes cast by delegates.