The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has advised Bashir Machina, who won the primary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Yobe North Senatorial District and others whose mandates have been allegedly taken from them to seek redress in court.
Speaking Monday morning on Arise TV, INEC’s National Commissioner of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, said the Commission monitored and has the reports of all the senatorial and House of Representatives primaries, adding that duly nominated candidates must write to INEC with a sworn affidavit, requesting for a fresh primary, which would be conducted within 14 days before a replacement can be made.
“I completely agree with you that someone who has not contested party’s primary should not be in a position to be nominated as party’s candidate.
“But now the Independent National Electoral Commission is not in a position as at now to make a determination in relation to what you’re saying or to make a determination in relation to whose name was submitted by a political party.
“The Commission monitored the primaries of different political parties. Their senatorial and House of Representatives primaries and we have our reports. So if somebody emerged from the party primary and someone else’s name is submitted, it is the duty of that particular individual to utilise Section 285 of the Constitution, Section 84 and 29 of the Electoral Act to seek redress in a constituted court of law.
“Moreover, what the law provides is that at the end of this nomination process, if any of the candidates that have been properly and constitutional nominated withdraws in writing and sworn affidavit that the ‘political party that nominated me must and shall conduct fresh primaries within the period of 14 days and then make such replacement.
“Then the person must do this through a letter submitted to the political party that nominated him with an affidavit indicating that he or she has voluntarily withdrawn. So, that is the state of the law as at today,” Okoye said.
(DAILY POST)
