By Henry Umoru

ABUJA — TWENTY – two of the 23 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State have rejected the outcome of the primary election, which was purportedly won by Udom Emmanuel on Monday.

The aggrieved aspirants, who stormed the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday evening, asked the leadership of the party and President Goodluck Jonathan to call for a fresh primaries to be conducted in accordance with the party guidelines in the interest of the party and the state.

Led by the former deputy Governor of the state, Nsima Ekere, who also contested the controversial polls, the aspirants listed various grounds upon which they noted rendered the entire process null and void and of no consequence whatsoever.

In a joint petition, the 22 politicians pointed out that the Chairman of the Electoral Panel sent to conduct the election in Akwa Ibom State connived with the state governor and his anointed candidate, Udom Emmanuel to perpetuate electoral fraud

They stated that he did that by sitting down in Government House and writing the names of delegates and casting the votes before bringing them in a convoy of buses to the stadium.

They contended that the chairman refused to show them the list of delegates and the ballot papers to be used for the election despite repeated demands and reminders for him to do so before the commencement of voting as enshrined in section 19(1) of the PDP guidelines.