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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Ahead of the Ondo State governorship election, the Committee for Good Governance, has advised the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on how to snatch the state from the clutches of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Counsel to the Committee, Bar. Ifesi Nwodo Francis, at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, advised the PDP leadership to review the academic qualifications of its candidate, Agboola Ajayi.
He said it was not too late for the party to present a more credible candidate to the Independent National Electorial Commission (INEC) if Ajayi has questionable credentials.
Francis reminded the PDP of the consequences of fielding a candidate with doubtful academic certificates by citing Section 29 (8) of the Electoral Act 2020 that reads:
“A political party which presents to the Commission the name of a candidate who does not meet the qualification stipulated in this section, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N10,000,000.”
From the above, he said “the law expects that a political party even after holding the primary or any internal arrangement should be vigilant to ensure that it does not present an unqualified candidate to the INEC.
“The Party has wide powers to review the choice of its candidate before submission of any name to INEC.
“To this end, the party should take a broader look at all its aspirants so that in the event of the declared candidate not meeting the constitutional requirements it will not be fixated on a fait accompli by any other particular candidate.”
In conclusion, he said: “We urge the National Working Committee of the Party to ensure that only a place holder name be submitted to INEC before the expiry of the time fixed for the presentation of the candidate and utilise the window provided for substitution to present a legally fit and proper person as its candidate.”
