- APC, SDP, APGA also excluded in Kogi, Adamawa, Abia
- Rules out fresh primaries
- Uba, Oduah, others rush to court to stop INEC from withdrawing their certificates of return
The Independent National Electoral, Commission (INEC) has excluded the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from participating in the re-run
election for Anambra Central senatorial zone scheduled for March 5.
In the same vein, the All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives
Grand Alliance (APGA) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) were also
excluded from participating in re-run elections in Kogi, Abia and
Adamawa States respectively.
In a timetable released Tuesday for the conduct of elections as ordered
by the Court of Appeal, INEC also disallowed parties from fielding new
candidates for the re-run election thereby putting paid to the idea of
conducting fresh primaries.
For the re-run election in the Anambra Central senatorial district
where confusion appears to be reigning over a recent Supreme Court
verdict in the internal dispute involving rival PDP state executives,
INEC said the party is excluded from participation.
The statement signed by the commission’s Secretary, Mrs. Augusta C.
Ogakwu, said: “Following consultations with major stakeholders in the
electoral process and public interest in the subject, INEC at its
meeting held on February 1, 2016, considered and approved dates for the
conduct of elections as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
“Consequent upon the judgments of the court, the commission will
conduct the elections in 69 of the said constituencies with the same
political parties and their respective candidates who participated in
the annulled elections.
“The commission further gives notice that the political parties and
candidates entitled to participate in the elections in the other 11
constituencies.”
In the timetable issued by INEC, the re-run elections in 16 states of
Gombe, Adamawa, Kaduna; Plateau; Niger; Benue; Nasarawa; Kogi; Taraba;
Imo, Abia; Anambra; Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom; Cross River, and Rivers are
scheduled to be conducted between February 13 and March 19, 2016.
INEC also listed parties and candidates who will be qualified to take
part in the court-ordered re-run elections during the period.
In Abia State constituency election for Aba North, the commission
said the same parties and candidates are to partake excluding APGA and
its candidate, while in Adamawa federal constituency comprising
Demsa/Numan/Lamurde, the same parties except the SDP and it’s candidate
will slug it out.
For the Anambra Central senate re-run election and Plateau State
Lantang federal constituency, INEC said the same parties and candidates,
excluding PDP, are to present candidates whereas for the Kaduna State
assembly (Lere West), the commission said same parties and candidates
except APC are to present new candidates.
In the Kogi Central and Kogi East senatorial districts, INEC approved
that the same parties and candidates excluding APC and its candidate
contact.
Similarly, INEC excluded APC and its candidates from the re-run
elections in Kogi federal constituency (Okene/Ogori/ Mangogo), Ofu Ankpa
state assembly constituency and Niger State House of Assembly election
in Suleija constituency.
Although INEC did not expressly provide reasons for the exclusion of
some of the political parties from the re-run election, it was implied
that the commission might have based its action on the court judgments
which disqualified the parties and their candidates.
Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly from Anambra State have
approached a Federal High Court in Abuja asking it to stop the
Independent National Electoral Commission from withdrawing their
certificates of return.
In a motion on notice filed by their lawyer, Chief Arthur Okafor (SAN),
the lawmakers also sought an order of interlocutory injunction pending
the determination of the substantive suit filed by them seeking to stop
the President of the Senate from swearing in any other persons as
members representing their constituencies.
The lawmakers who filed the suit are Senators Andy Uba and Stella
Oduah. Others are Anayo Nnebe, Eucharia Azodo, Chris Azubogu, Obinna
Chidoka, Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu, Tony Nwoye Okechukwu and Chukwuka Onyema
all members of the House of Representatives.
They said there was an imminent danger of INEC giving in to the
pressure being mounted on it by the Ejike Oguebego-Leadership of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They also said the Senate President might also succumb to such pressure unless the court issued and order I their favour.
The lawmakers became jittery following last Friday’s judgment of the
Supreme Court which held that the Ejike Oguebego-led Executive of the
PDP was the recognised faction of the party.
Although the Supreme Court did not ask the Anambra members of the
National Assembly to vacate their seats, Oguebego had said the judgment
implied that only candidates selected by his exco were the authentic
candidates.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the new suit.
