… Oye led APGA faction kicks
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday published the List and personal particulars of candidates nominated by the various political parties for the Anambra State Governorship election scheduled to hold on 6th November 2021.
The Commission also said it took consideration and cognizance of the Judgments and Court Orders served on it in relation to the primaries of the political parties and other processes leading to the election.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP according to the list released has no candidate while the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA has as its candidate, Jude Okeke as against former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Chukwuma Soludo who the party elected as its candidate.
In a statement by National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, INEC said, “In line with section 31(3) of the Electoral Act, 2010(as amended) the personal particulars of the candidates will be published in the Commissions Notice Board in Awka, Anambra State while the names of the candidates, their gender, party, age, qualification and the Commissions decision/ remarks are herein attached.
“The Commission will continue to act in consonance with the Constitution and the law and will continue to obey the judgments and orders of courts served on it.”
But in a swift reaction, National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Oye accused INEC of collaborating with an aspirant that did not make it through to the primary of the party and to announce him as the governorship candidate of APGA.
“If that development comes to be true it will be a big embarrassment to Nigeria’s political system, and embarrassment to Nigeria as a nation and its leaders, particularly to the president, Muhammadu Buhari who is a stickler for rule of law and equity.
“You will recall that we started our processes for governorship primary election by publishing our timetable; we followed through to the primary that held on June 23, 2021 in Awka, duly monitored by INEC. Result turned in by the monitoring committee of INEC. As at July 23, it was only APGA under my leadership that have conducted its primary. We are the first to conduct our primary among the three biggest political parties in Nigeria. And our primary was aired live by national televisions and witnessed by the whole world.
“After the primary, INEC sent a letter to me to come forward to collect the code for uploading of the particulars of our candidate and his deputy. On the July 2, in accordance with the Electoral Act and the Timetable of INEC, we uploaded the particulars of our governorship candidate Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Dr. Onyekachi Ibezim. Immediately we concluded that, INEC duly acknowledged it. We also submitted the hardcopy at the INEC office and it was duly acknowledged.
“According to section 31(3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), it states ‘The Commission shall within seven days of the receipt of the particulars of candidates, published the same in the constituency where the candidate intends to contest the election.’
“We submitted our particulars of our candidate on July 2, INEC received and acknowledged it the same day. According to the Electoral Act, INEC supposed to have published APGA candidate name, seven days after receiving it, which is July 9.
“Now the question is, why did INEC wait till July 16? Because the information we got was the INEC delayed till today so that they will issue nomination papers and documents to a stranger, and alien to APGA for them to fill and return today for their names to be filled as APGA candidate. That is unacceptable, it is criminal, it legally unattainable. INEC cannot do that. INEC owns it as a duty to publish the names of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo as our governorship candidate and his deputy, Dr. Onyekachi Ibezim as a matter of responsibility. Anything outside that the commission be dragging itself name to the mud. We will not accept it. We are building an egalitarian nation. Why should we allow selfishness, clannishness and greed to blind the people’s vision and sense of reasoning? What was not the intention of INEC for not publishing the name of Prof. Soludo seven days after it was submitted?
“You also know that a Federal High Court in Awka gave an order directing INEC to maintain the status quo and receive the particulars submitted to it by my leadership and publish the same. This is an order of court. Why did INEC want to disobey a valid order of court of competent jurisdiction?
“We know that it will not last. We have already appealed against the Jigawa judgement and the court sat on the 14th of this July in Kano. To tell you how wicked the impostors are, apart from going to Jigawa to get the bizarre judgement in which my name was not even there, they procured a fake lawyer to present INEC and APGA. They went to court in Jigawa to confuse the judge, pretending that they were the genuine party leaders. How can you talk about change of leadership of APGA without the national chairman who is still alive, and without adhering to constitution of the party. As a law abiding party, we have appealed against the Jigawa judgement.”
