Anambra Central: APGA demands disqualification of PDP,APC , others from INEC

The All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to urgently make a categorical statement on the activities of some political parties conducting fresh primaries to nominate candidates for the Anambra Central Senatorial district rerun poll.
The National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Ike Oye, who made the call while speaking with Vanguard in Abuja, warned that the electoral umpire should not keep mute on the eligibility of the candidates to stand for the election.
Chief Oye, who expressed concern over the desperation by parties, especially the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to hold primaries for the rerun poll, argued that both parties by law, cannot field candidates for the election.
According to him, ” We are very happy with INEC, because we know that INEC as a law abiding institution and an umpire of elections in Nigeria will do the needful by issuing a categorical statement on this matter.
“That will douse the tension in the system and foreclose the chances of unscrupulous elements in the society from formenting trouble that will lead to fragmentation in our nation’s political system.”
Oye, while making a reference to Supreme Court judgment, said there was no provision for conduct of fresh primaries under a re-run poll since only candidates that participated in the general election are recognised by law to take part.
According to him, the Supreme Court judgement delivered by Justice Mohammed Salisu Aluwao and others on November 6, 2003 between INEC versus Labour Party, on the matter of qualification, ruled thus: “Where there is nullification of election on grounds of qualification, all candidates that participated in the general election, excluding the candidate adjudged not qualified can participate in re-run election.”
He emphasised further, “You know in the case of Anambra central senatorial zone, the judgement was very clear that the candidate of the PDP, who was the twelfth respondent and the PDP itself being the eleventh respondent did not conduct any primary.
“So, from where did its candidate emerge for the senatorial election? So the Court of Appeal ruled that Uche Ekwunife who was then the candidate of PDP was not qualified to contest the election.”
“Now, having been disqualified from participating in that election, it was those in authorities in Abuja that used their powers to force her on the electorate of the Anambra Senatorial district. So, she participated in the election but she was not recognised by law.
“Now the Court of Appeal has said she was not qualified to participate in that election, she has now moved to APC to seek solace there. And that tells you there is something happened because there was constitutional provision, the law was there from the beginning.
“As time for nomination elapsed, it does not admit of any new candidate. It means the party that presented the candidate who was not qualified cannot now present a candidate for the re-run election.
Insisting that Chief Ekwunife cannot participate in the re-run, he said, ”Even if she goes to APC, the APC and PDP cannot produce a new candidate, except Dr. Chris Ngige quits his ministerial appointment to contest under APC. For the PDP, it is foreclosed because the new candidate the party will produce did not participate in the general election and therefore not qualified. So any primary held now is unlawful because the time for primary had elapsed,”