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From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Victor Oye-led All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has rejected the rejection of Charles Soludo as the candidate of the party in the upcoming Anambra governorship election.
The decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace the name of Soludo was unconstitutional, Oye said, vowing that it will not be allowed to stand.
‘There are fillers from INEC that one Jude Okeke and his co-travellers want to infiltrate INEC to publish an aspirant that did not make it through to the primary of APGA 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,’ he stated.
‘You will recall that we started our processes for governorship primary election by publishing our timetable; we followed through to the primary that was held on June 23, 2021, in Awka, duly monitored by INEC. Result turned in by the monitoring committee of INEC. As of July 23, it was only APGA under my leadership that has 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 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.”
‘I use this opportunity to call on President Buhari and leadership of the National Assembly to call INEC to order. The law enforcement agencies should deal with these impostors who are causing confusion in Nigeria political life. They want to cause confusion in our party because they are afraid that APGA will win again. If anybody is strong politically, he should go to the people to test his strength and not go through the back door.’
