Zamfara: APC governorship candidates fault INEC

A coalition of All Progressives Congress governorship candidates in Zamfara State have faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its insistence that APC would not be fielding candidates in February election. A federal high court in Abuja had on last Friday upheld INEC decision.

Addressing newsmen on behalf of the Group of 8 tagged, G-8, an aspirant, Honourable Aminu Sani said the judgment fell short of what transpired in the state as he noted that the APC adopted a consensus arrangement to produce its standard bearers for the general elections.

He declared that INEC lacks the power to overrule the APC on the consensus option since there was a provision for it in the party constitution.

The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence disclosed that the APC settled for the consensus arrangement after series of efforts to conduct the party primaries using both the direct and indirect mode failed to yield results.

He said:  “The APC had a consensus arrangement that was very clear. We had three options:  direct, indirect and consensus. And we settled for consensus so as not to lose participation. Our own stand is the party did the right thing.

“That is what the party constitution says. There was no primary election in Zamfara and we know this as a fact. INEC sent its officials who attested to that. INEC officials are also in the know of our consensus arrangement endorsed by the Adams Oshiomhole led national working committee (NWC)”

He appealed to the party faithful in Zamfara state to exercise restraint, as he expressed hope that the Court of Appeal would surely deliver a favourable ruling on the appeal filed by members of the group.

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National publicity secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu spoke in a similar vein at a separate briefing. Mallam Onilu justified the party adoption of the consensus option and assured that it would ultimately field candidates in Zamfara.

“The issue of Zamfara we heard that INEC is relying on the fact that courts of equal jurisdiction have given conflicting judgements. We can understand that. What it thus means is that it is not over and then we will continue to take steps. We are very certain, we did the right thing. The primaries held, INEC was not satisfied with that but it is our right to field candidates and we would follow up all the legal means to ensure that our candidates stand for elections in this 2019 general elections in Zamfara. Same situation for Rivers.

It also shows for people who are discerning to ask the question: Is  this supposed to be the APC that INEC is or ought to be working for? And this is what we are going through in the hands of INEC that PDP has repeatedly claimed is put in place to rig elections for APC. May I remind all of us, that we had primaries in Zamfara which was affected by conflicts but the process allows for three different options. You could go for indirect which is an electoral college, you could go with direct that allows every card member of the party to vote for their chosen candidates and then thirdly, you go by consensus. We have the right under the constitution to exhaust these options. We did so.”