The names of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and a former minister of Niger Delta affair, Godswill Akpabio, who did not participate in the APC senatorial primaries, reportedly made the list submitted to the INEC by the party.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to the alleged discriminatory stance against the candidates nominated by some political parties for the 2023 general elections.

At the close of the submission of the list of candidates by political parties on June 17, the ruling APC forwarded the names of some of its candidates who reportedly did not participate in its primaries and were therefore ineligible to be on the ballot in the general elections.

The names of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and a former minister of Niger Delta affair, Godswill Akpabio, who did not participate in the party’s senatorial primaries, reportedly made the list submitted to the INEC by the party.

While Messrs Lawan and Akpabio were pursuing their presidential ambitions, Bashir Machina and Udom Ekpoudom had participated in Yobe North and Akwa-Ibom Northwest senatorial primaries supervised by INEC and emerged winners.

However, in what many considered a double standard, the Akwa-Ibom INEC REC, Mike Igini, declared the inclusion of Mr Akpabio on the list as null and void while Mr Lawan’s ‘emergence’ remains valid despite the continuous resistance of the actual winner, Mr Machina.


INEC has no power to reject any name – Commissioner

In response to the widely discussed controversy which was recently taken further in writing by a lecturer, Farooq Kperogi, an INEC commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, argued that the electoral body has no power to reject the names of candidates sent by political parties.

He said the parties have the rights to hold primaries while INEC is empowered to monitor them to ensure full compliance with the rules and regulations of the land and party.

“INEC has no powers to reject names sent by political parties. Primaries are the sole prerogatives of parties. INEC’s responsibility is merely to monitor the primaries and make sure they abide by their own regulations, the Electoral Act & the Constitution.

“Our power in that regard rests on the fact that our reports are admissible as evidence whenever an aggrieved candidate petitions his party or the courts. It is therefore up to an aggrieved candidate to apply for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of our reports for presentation as evidence that his party did not abide by any or all of the three sets of regulations I mentioned,” the national commissioner noted.

Mr Haruna stated further that INEC has only accepted the names of the candidates as mandated by the 2022 Electoral Act but has yet to make its decision known.

He defended the commission’s acceptance of the names submitted by the APC quoting Section 29 (1).

A part of the section however shows a breach in the same act.

The sub-section states that the lists of the candidates the party proposed to sponsor at the election “must have emerged from valid primaries conducted by the political party.”

Neither Mr Akpabio nor Mr Lawan participated in the primaries conducted by their party.

INEC spokesperson, Festus Okoye, did not respond to calls and text messages sent to him by PREMIUM TIMES on Monday to comment on the matter.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/538177-why-inec-cant-reject-senate-president-lawans-candidacy-national-commissioner.html

They have the power to reject any candidates,bribe has covered their eye.

Then if they don't have the power to reject any candidates;we would have yahoo boys as presidential candidates!

Idiots

All those who did not contest in the primary, not picked by consensus should be rejected by INEC

Wonders shall never end in Nigeria!!!!
And Nigerians are mute!!!!!

And this is the same APC they are all clamouring for!!!!!!

If so,then saraki,who didn't participate should be declared senate President again.
Dino melaye should also go back

INEC is tongue wrestling with the Truth

So what were the INEC Officials doing at the Primaries if the Parties are free to send any names they please

APC and INEC are frauds

BEFORE YOU THINK OF VOTING FOR ANY CANDIDATE OF YOUR CHOICE 2023.

PLEASE GO THROUGH THIS LINES

>They met Malt drink at #100 but now it is #250

>They met coca cola at #60 but now it's #200
They met cooking gas @ #150 per KG but today it is #800

>They met a bag of cement@#2000 but now it's #4000.

>They met met toothpaste (close-up) @#180 per one but today is now #450.

>They met matches @ #5 for one sachet bit now is #20.

>They met Pepsi @#50 for a bottle but now is #130

>They met camry 2.4 @ #800,000 but now is #2,700.000

>They met electricity tariff @#7 per a unit but now is #45

>They met a loaf of bread @#200 but now is #600 for the cheapest.

>They met a litre of fuel @87 but now is #200

>They met a litre of Diesel @#150 but now is #800

>They met VAT @1% and increased to 7.5%

>They met Federal Universities tuition fees @ less than #20,000 but now is almost #100k

>They met mattress @#50 k for a big size but today is #150k

>They met Kings 4litre vegetable oil @ #2000 but now is #6000

>They met exchange rate (Naira to a dollar)@ #150 but today is#500

>They met bag of rice @#8000 but now is#30000

>They met bag of beans @#20000 but today is #100k

>They met children biscuits at #5 per one but today is#20 per one and the quantity is reduced

>They met sweet (milkos, and the rest @ two #5 but now is one#10.

> They met Sardine with 3-4 fiesh @N120 but now it is N500 for 2 piece of fish.

> A 2 bedroom flat in mainland of Lagos that used to go for 180k is now 600k

> Transport on Hiace bus from Lagos to Abuja that used to be 2500-3500 is now 10,500 - 13,000

The damages are too feasible everywhere.
The hunger in land has no part two. The Masses of this country bear the brunch.

Copied

Ok

No reason of any sought is justified.... You are not Independent

Inec cannot be trusted.

The registration figures from northern Nigeria is overrated,they are trying to rig next year election.

APC Is full of fraud

Why will they accept the name of a candidate they didn't see in a primary they monitored?

Dr. Haruna that writes for The Nation Newspapers?

Uu

useless party

Ik

We just take advantage of the loopholes in the constitution and our compromised judicial system,I see this issue being challenged in court and the law will take its course.as far as I am concerned,this is a political foul.

Enough of all these shenanigans.

A better Nigeria is all we want.

A better Nigeria we shall get.

God bless all sane, good, honest and hardworking Nigerians.

We Rise.

GIVE US OBI

The more you see the less you understand.
Hahahaha, why conduct primaries when you can send any names you like to inec. Whither Nigeria!

Orubebe has decamped to Apc, remaining PETER PANDORA. Follow politicians at your own peril, for all politicians are goats, paddle your own canoe.

It means that holding primaries is of no use since the party can simply send names to INEC, the courts will have to intervene and settle the matter.

Realists:
Orubebe has decamped to Apc, remaining PETER PANDORA

I can feel your PAINdora

I weep for this country

Magic
Abracadabra

LOL...Mike Igini the electoral nightmare of Akpabio. The man sabi deal with Akpabio well well.

The court will decide for una

Even if Lawan hire all the SAN we dey this Nigeria, it will be a piece of cake for Mr Machina

Judge: Mr Lawan, did you participate in the senate primaries conducted by your party the APC for 2023 elections?

Lawan:

Hmmm