PDP Primaries: 17 Abia incumbent lawmakers fail to grab return tickets.

At least 17 incumbent members of the Abia State House of Assembly have failed to pick the return tickets at the just-concluded primaries by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Out of the 24 members of the state house of assembly, only seven of the incumbents won at the primaries.
PDP Chairman, Abia State, Senator Emma Nwaka, made this announcement Wednesday evening at the party’s Secretariat in Umuahia.

He enjoined those who lost the ticket not to attempt defecting to other party in protest but to channel their grievances through the appeal panel, saying that “those who switch party randomly have always come to grief.”

According to the result announced by Nwaka, some of the debutants include: the son of Governor, Theodore Orji, Chinedum who clinched the ticket for Umuahia Central constituency; Chukwudi Apugo, Umuahia East; Ex-Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Cosmos Ndukwe, Bende North; and Chima Mgbeke, Umunneochi state constituency.

The incumbents include: Hon. Chukwudi Ogele, Isuikwuato; Emeka Ejiogu, Umuahia North; Dr. Kate Maduako, Aba Central; and the widow of late Iheasimuo, Blessing Iheasimuo for Aba South. Meanwhile, some aggrieved aspirants have vowed not to accept the result of the primaries. They said they had already petitioned the appeal panel.

Explaining why the result was released late, Nwaka said the delay was not deliberate as the secretariat had been very busy with preparations for the up-coming primaries.