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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Prince Fawaz Muhammad, an aspirant for the Etsako West Constituency I seat in the Edo State House of Assembly, has expressed concerns over the conduct of his party’s primary election, alleging that the exercise failed to comply with the party’s constitution, electoral guidelines and the principles of internal democracy.
In a petition addressed to the leadership of the party and made available to journalists in Benin, Prince Muhammad alleged that the guidelines governing the nomination of candidates were not followed during the primary election process for the constituency.
According to him, although party members participated in the primary election for the House of Representatives position, no direct primary election was conducted for aspirants contesting the House of Assembly seat in Etsako West Constituency I.
Muhammad stated that he purchased the required Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms and participated in the process with the expectation that a direct primary election would be conducted in line with the party’s electoral guidelines and relevant laws.
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He alleged that, instead of a transparent and democratic exercise, a candidate was purportedly produced through a process that did not involve voting by party members, as required under the party’s guidelines.
The former Speaker of the Youth Parliament further claimed that the outcome announced for the constituency did not emerge from a properly conducted primary election, insisting that the process failed to comply with the rules established by the party for the nomination of candidates.
He therefore called on the state and national leadership of the party to review the exercise and ensure strict adherence to the party’s constitution, electoral guidelines and other applicable regulations.
He further called for the cancellation of the disputed primary outcome, an investigation into the conduct of officials involved in the process, sanctions for anyone found to have breached party rules, and the conduct of a fresh, transparent and credible primary election.
Muhammad maintained that his action was aimed at protecting the integrity of the party’s internal democratic process and ensuring that party members were given the opportunity to freely choose their candidate through a lawful and transparent primary election.
