The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia state to conduct a fresh governorship primary election in the next 14 days to replace its governorship candidate, Professor Uche Eleazar Ikonne. The electoral commission gave the directive following the death of Professor Ikonne on Wednesday, January 25. Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner on Voter Education and Publicity, said the directive was in line with the provision of the Electoral Act 2022. Okoye further clarified that the new Electoral Act does not allow the deputy governorship candidate of the party to automatically assume the position of the gubernatorial candidate since the election was yet to start. “He (the deputy governorship candidate) can only fly the flag if election has commenced. They have to hold a fresh primary within 14 days of the death and then they submit to INEC,” the national commissioner stated. Okoye said the 14 days given to the PDP to conduct a fresh primary started from the day Ikonne died. The PDP guber candidate at the National Hospital Abuja after a brief illness.