INEC disqualifies APC from Cross River LG polls

By Wale Odunsi on August 26, 2013
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The Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission has disqualified the All Progressives Congress, APC, from fielding candidates for the September 21 local government elections in the state.

Chairman of CROSIEC, Mr. Patrick Otu, made this disclosure over the weekend after a meeting held at the Commission’s office in Calabar with registered political parties.

He said the Commission took the decision after considering all legal implications to forestall complicity, adding that the electoral law, stipulated that “if parties merge, that party can only stand election after 90 days”.

“The Commission cannot postpone the election because of a newly registered party. By September 21 when the local government elections will take place, the stipulated 90-days period would not have been met by the APC in the state. Therefore, no candidate can be fielded to run on the platform of the APC.



“Everything about the election is law and nothing can be done outside the law. The former parties that merged to form APC are by law dead. What emerged will have to pay the price as no law covers what you were before the merger. By law, APC is disqualified from fielding candidates for both the chairmanship and the councillorship positions in the forthcoming elections”.

Merging parties including the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, Consensus for Progressive Change and Action Congress of Nigeria, were unable to harmonise their list of candidates.

Although a representative of the APC, Mr. Ayei Akpang, at the meeting appealed for an extension, the CROSIEC boss noted that there were Lawful conditions for postponing or extending the time for the election, which did not include new registration.

“There is no state of emergency in the state that would warrant an extension of time. When in 2004 we had a state of emergency because of the political situation, then it was understood. Election timetable is very important, especially to any election management body,” the electoral boss said.


http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/08/26/inec-disqualifies-apc-from-cross-river-lg-polls/?wt=3

The beginning of their downfall

^^
And how is upholding the law the begining of their downfall?