The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out the ruling Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the November 6, 2021 Anambra State election for violating the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.
By this decision, hope of Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who emerged as the party’s governorship candidate yesterday, June 23 has been dashed.
According to the INEC, APGA’s disqualification followed the party’s failure to comply with Section 85 of the Electoral Act.
The commission disclosed that APGA did not notify it when it purportedly held its ad hoc congress to elect delegates for the party’s governorship primary election.
INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Publicity and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, in a statement, insisted that parties must act within the confines of the law in the conduct of their congresses and primaries if they are to avoid issues and challenges that might complicate the conduct of elections.
INEC’s clarification came on the heels of the declaration of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, as the winner of the factional primary, organised by the Chief Victor Oye-led faction of the party.
Meanwhile, Soludo had been suspended by another faction of the party.
The Chief Jude Okeke-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party said that Soludo was suspended from APGA for anti-party activities, saying that the NWC arrived at the decision after its meeting on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.
The acting National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja, said the party leadership applauded the peaceful and successful “Special Delegate Ward Congresses, where three-member Ward Delegates were elected for the July 1, governorship primaries of the party.”
