Reject candidates’ list before you, not from us, Lagos Accord Party tells INEC

LAGOS State chapter of Accord Party (AP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject list of candidates, who it said did not participate in the party primaries but was forwarded to it from the State, threatening that should the INEC refuse to do so, it would have no option than to seek redress in the court of law.

AP, while issuing the threat, claimed that the affected candidates were not members of AP, but imposed by some Abuja-based politicians who it said did not mean well for the party.

This was just as the party endorsed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, asking its members to vote him as the next governor of Lagos, come 2019.

The party is not fielding candidate for governorship but had candidates for the rest offices.

Chairman of the party, Otunba Aderemi Fatukasi, said this on Thursday at a press conference in Lagos, even as he assured that the party remained strong and more resolved on its objectives despite attempts by some members to impose candidates on it.

“We are calling on INEC to reject all the nominations of candidates who did not participate in the party primaries as they are not members of Accord and we shall seek redress in the law court to interpolate the section of our constitution on who is a party member.

ALSO READ: Enugu governor reiterates total commitment to rural development

“Any attempt to subvert the popular will of party members shall be rejected to the letter,” Fatukasi said.

The chairman, who recalled that the party held its primaries on October 4, 2018, and were duly witnessed by INEC and security agencies, said it was shocking to discover that some disgruntled members in collaboration with factional APC members based in Abuja were now picking candidates for the party.

According to him, these collaborators were fully aware they were still card-carrying members of the APC as at when Accord held its congress and primaries.

“The high level of impunity brandished by the Abuja based politicians of our party was not limited to fielding candidates who are not members of the party, but also substituted genuine party members who participated in the last LGA elections,” the party boss said.

He said such act of impunity was perpetrated in the last local government poll in areas like Ikosi-Isheri, Agege, Surulere, Ikeja, Somolu, among others.

Fatukasi, however, called on the party’s teeming supporters to remain calm, assuring that their right of membership would be protected by any means necessary.

“Once again, we call on our teeming supporters to remain calm as we shall protect their right of membership by any means necessary,” he said.