The leadership of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, on Wednesday protested against the disqualification of its candidate in the forthcoming Governorship election in Kogi State, Mrs Natasha Hadiza Akpoti, describing it as illegal and unacceptable to the party.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the National Chairman of the Party, Prof. Tunde Adeniran declared that the party would have no option than to drag the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC to Court to redress the injustice done to the party in the State.
According to him, “it is not only a sad development but a great disservice to our democracy and an infringement on the part of rights of Nigerian Citizens of Kogi extraction, it portends great danger to democratic consolidation and political stability of our country
“The national leadership of our party was greeted with an embarrassing misrepresentation by the National Commissioner and the spokesperson of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr Festus Okoye, on live television programme, ‘Politics Today’, Sunday edition anchored by Okinbaloye of Channels Television precisely on Sunday, 29th September, 2019 with our Governorship Candidate as guest
“Mr Festus Okoye, on the live television programme, informed the public that the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has accepted that the party will not be included on the ballot for the November 12, 2019, Kogi State Governorship election. This is an outright lie
“We consider this not only a misnomer, but an unwarranted insult, falsification of information, misrepresentation of our party and a Committee to deny our party of the statutory position to continue with our legal case instituted already before a court of competent jurisdiction against the Independent National Electoral Commission on the illegal disqualification of our Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates for the said election
ALSO READ:Â https://tribuneonlineng.com/we-lost-oyo-because-progressive-took-electorate-for-granted-%e2%80%95-akintola/
“We feel deeply scandalized that such a highly placed INEC spokesman could go on air to tell a monstrous lie, which was a calculated and incredible misinformation designed to portray our party as not knowing the limited powers of INEC and the rights of political parties and Nigerian citizens under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act
“With a mandate ‘to serve as an independent and effective Electoral Management Body (EMB) committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections for sustainable democracy’, the Commission has the responsibility to conduct its affairs on the basis of due process that makes it a genuine partner with political parties in broadening the base of political participation. It should not convey the image of a regulator with a sadistic predisposition
“It is a fact that the action of INEC to disqualify a candidate is in contravention of the provisions of Section 13, subsection (1) of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) which places no powers in the hands of the Commission to reject or disqualify Candidates of political parties as submitted to it within the stipulated time-frame
“In moving to disqualify our Candidate for the Kogi gubernatorial election slated for November 2019, INEC has attempted to disenfranchise Barrister Natasha Akpoti and the people of Kogi State and to deny them democratic access to change from the current decadent and oppressive government to a government of progressive social justice and economic development
“In addition, INEC has raised more questions about the conduct and intentions of the Commission as well as the integrity and credibility of our systems and institutions which are critical to the survival of the nation
“The move of INEC will be resisted in the law courts. However, in the meantime, we wish to call the attention of Nigerians to the following issues raised by the action of INEC,” Prof. Adeniran stressed.
The SDP Chieftain wondered why the Election umpire which conducted similar elections few months ago, where candidates of some political parties fielded candidates with lower age(s) far lower than SDP’s Candidate would disqualify a more qualified candidate at such a time like this.
and then