…if INEC failed to allow the APC participate in the forthcoming election, the outcome could be bloody
A
political pressure group from Kogi state under the auspices of the
Network of Igala Associations has said excluding the All Progressives
Congress (APC) from the rescheduled legislative rerun election in Kogi
East was illegal and asked the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) to act within the Ambit of the law and allow all parties to
contest the election.
In
a petition to the Commission dated July 12, 2016 signed by the Leader
of the group, Comrade Ojile Charles Ibrahim, the group said excluding
the party from the conduct of the election will run contrary to the
ruling of the Court of Appeal.
According
to them, in canceling the elections in Kogi state and ordering fresh
elections, the Court did not order the exclusion of any political party
or candidate, pointing out that the exclusion of the APC in similar
rerun elections in Kogi central was a misnomer, illegal and
unacceptable.
The
group alleged that the commission must have been influenced to the
effect that previous rerun election was marred by violence,
irregularities, voter apathy as well as the loss of lives and property.
The
alleged that the majority of the people of the area refused to
participate in the previous legislative rerun election because of the
unlawful exclusion of their popular candidate, adding that the one
Senator Atai Aidoko who complained about the election was not even the
candidate of the PDP as proven by the ruling of the Federal High Court
in Abuja.
The
group asks the commission to conduct a fresh rerun election in Kogi
Central and Kogi East Senatorial districts, adding that if INEC failed
to allow the APC participate in the forthcoming election, the outcome
could be bloody.
According
to them, INEC is suppose to be a unisex umpire, adding that “what is
happening now portray INEC as being biased against the APC and its
candidates.”
Credit: The Nation
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