. Who Ever did not Contest Primary cannot be Candidate-INEC

.APC not Involved in Ekiti Vote Buying – Governor-elect

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

The national chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu yesterday at State House, Abuja, hinted that he would not want to be dragged into the nomination impasse that is likely to render the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, ineligible to be fielded for Yobe North Senatorial District in the 2023 general election.

Adamu spoke as President Buhari hosted the APC governor-elect in Ekiti State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji in the Presidential Villa.

Lawan had contested for the presidential ticket of the APC alongside 22 others which Bola Ahmed Tinubu won.

Though he did not participate in the Senatorial primary for Yobe North, his placeholder, Bashir Machina Sheriff won. Lawan’s problems multiplied when Bashir refused to relinquish the ticket to him. 

Armed with INEC’s Certificate of Return, Bashir has legitimately stood his ground as the Yobe North Senatorial District flag bearer of the APC.

Strangely, Senator Lawan pulled strings which saw his name rather than that of  Bashir who took part in the primary being sent to INEC on Friday as the party’s candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District.

The action of the party was, however, in utter violation of the electoral law which stipulates that such a substitution can only be legitimate when the winner of a primary and candidate of the party by reason of victory at the primary, willingly relinquished the ticket by formally writing to both the party and INEC that he or she has undertaken to let go the ticket in favour of the person he or she so mentions, which will now prompt a new primary for the ticket, supervised by INEC. 

None of these happened in the matter between Lawan and Bashir. In fact, angry that Lawan’s name rather than his was sent to the national electoral body, Bashir has announced that he would seek redress in court.

Responding to newsmen yesterday as to why the APC sent Lawan’s name as its candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District knowing that he did not participate in the primary,  Adamu hinted that he wished to be excused from the imbroglio.

 “I  cannot respond to every speculation particularly when they are negative. Especially when they are from mischief makers. Go and find out from the person who is responsible for organising the primary. I have done my beat.”

Reacting to the issue when in his interview on Arise Tv Morning Show, Festus Okoye,  INEC National Commissioner of Information and Voter Education agreed that who ever did not emerge from a primary cannot be a legitimate candidate for an election and advised Bashir who approach the court for the restoration of his candidacy.

 “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,” Okoye said.

Speaking further he said, “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.

“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.”

In a related development, the Ekiti State  governor-elect who was accompanied in his visit to President Buhari 

by Senator Adamu and governors Kayode Fayemi, Atiku Bagudu, and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Ekiti, Kebbi, and Jigawa States refuted the allegation that he earned his victory, largely by vote buying during the last Saturday election.

 “I will speak for myself. I canvassed for votes, I had a manifesto that I unveiled to Ekiti people and I canvassed based on that manifesto. And I’m a part of a government that has done so well. 

“So as far as we are concerned APC we did not involve in vote buying but we have done so well and we have a manifesto that pleased our people.”

“Last time I was here, I said that if performance will be an indicator for electoral success, that we have nothing to fear.  In your question you said that it was an allegation? Well, where I voted, I did not witness anything like that. You know, but people are entitled to their opinion. But not to their facts,” Oyebanji said.

The governor-elect, while appreciating the President said that the election was a referendum on the party, “and a clear, positive signal to the election in Osun, and the general election of next year. APC is still the party of choice,” he said.

Buhari said he keenly followed the polls on Saturday, June 18, and was delighted with the orderly conduct, and the way the electorate and security agencies comported themselves.

“I loved how the APC governors mobilized, and supported you,” the President told Oyebanji. “I think the party is very lucky, and things are getting better. I congratulate the Chairman, and I pray you sustain it.”

Senator Adamu who ascribed the election victory to God, promised that same would be replicated in Osun State next month.

In his capacity as Chairman of the Campaign Council for the Ekiti election, Governor Badaru congratulated Buhari on the successful outing, saying; “Your unending effort to reposition the party is paying off. If we combine the votes of the candidates that came second and third, our candidate still beat them by a wide margin. APC is being daily endeared to Nigerians. Our gratitude goes to you, Mr President.” 

Adamu added that “The Election Management Committee, chaired by Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, did an amazing job of monitoring the election and we did tell Mr. President, that this is an election where the BVAS machine worked properly, and the results of the election were in in record time, and the security arrangement was quite impressive. 

“This couldn’t have been possible without the President’s commitment to building institutions that can deliver free, transparent and fair processes.