2019: Why APC Was Disqualified From Presenting Candidates In Zamfara – INEC

The All Progressive’s Congress (APC) will not be able to present candidates to contest in the gubernatorial election in Zamfara state, says the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The party had failed to meet the October 7 deadline for conducting primaries to elect candidates for the elections.

On Tuesday evening, INEC notified the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole about this stance through a letter by the acting secretary of the commission, Okechukwu Ndeche.

The Zamfara State chapter of the APC had descended into serious crisis as
political camps fought bitter and violent battles as they jostled to produce candidates for positions.

The major tussle was between the camps of the state Governor, Abdulaziz
Yari, and a senator, Kabiru Marafa.

Mr Yari worked to ensure his preferred aspirant, Mukhtar Idris, the state
commissioner of finance, succeeds him.

However, Mr Marafa, one of the leading governorship aspirants, challenged what he described as Mr Yari’s high handedness and attempt to foist Mr Idris on the party.

The APC national headquarters
dissolved all party structures in the state while also directing My Yari, himself a senatorial aspirant, to hands off all matters relating to party primaries in the state.

The NWC decision on the removals of
the party officials led to a fresh battle between Mr Oshiomhole and his
deputy, Lawal Shuaibu.

Both feuding camps eventually
organised parallel primaries,
producing different sets of
candidates.

However, the electoral panel sent to
the state by the party’s national leadership announced that it was
unable to organise primaries in the
state.

INEC has now told Mr Oshiomhole, in
a letter titled “Failure To Conduct Party Primaries in Zamfara State Within The Stipulated Time Frame”, that it is not expecting any list of candidates from the party for Zamfara State.

The commission referred Mr
Oshiomhole to the timetable and
schedule of activities for the 2019
general elections released by the
commission on January 9 2018.

“You would note from the timetable
that the conduct of party primaries is
scheduled to take place between 18th
August and 7th October 2018.

“Kindly also refer to the last schedule
communicated by your party to the
commission on the dates of party
primaries nationwide, including
Zamfara vide your letter Ref. APC/
NHDQ/ INEC/19/18/51 dated 3rd Oct.
2018.

“However, report received from our
office in Zamfara State shows that no
primaries were conducted by your
party in the state, Notwithstanding
that our officials were fully mobilized
and deployed.”

INEC said based on the provisions of
Section 87 and 31 of the Electoral Act
2010 (as amended), “the commission
does not expect that your party will
submit names of any candidates from
Zamfara State.

“For clarity, our position is that the
All Progressives Congress (APC), will
not be fielding candidates for the
governorship, National Assembly and
State Assembly Elections in Zamfara
state for the 2019 for the general
elections.”

Reacting to the letter from INEC, oshiomhole however said the primary elections were held, and that results will be presented within the stipulated time by INEC.