FROM VICTOR DURUAMAKU – OWERRI
Shortly after the Imo North senatorial bye election held last Saturday December 5, 2020 the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to nullify the participation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for double candidacy
According to the party, the APC fielded two candidate in the persons of formal Senator Ifeanyichukwu Ararume and Mr. Ibezim all of APC in the said election.
Candidate of the PDP in the election, Mr Emmanuel Okewulonu made the call while briefing newsmen in Owerri on Monday.
Okewulonu who argued that the country’s electoral Act does not allow a political party to contest an election without a valid candidate called on the INEC to declare the PDP which garnered the second highest number of votes winner of the election.
He also said that two different court orders had invalidated the candidacy of frontline candidates of the APC, Ifeanyi Ibezim and Ifeanyi Araraume barely 24 hours to the election, a situation which left the party without a candidate.
He further argued that in line extant laws, a political party should be disqualified from participating in an election in the event that it presents more than one candidate for the same election.
“Since two different Courts of competition jurisdiction have disqualified the two major contenders from the APC, it means that the party has no candidate and is therefore disqualified from participating in the election.
“If the said political party claims to have two candidates going into the election, that still disqualifies the party and we must be able to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary.
“We hereby call on INEC to disqualify the APC on these grounds and declare the PDP winner of the Imo North senatorial by-election in line with the electoral Act as amended “, he said.
He however thanked the electorate for turning out en masse to cast their votes while assuring of quality representation if eventually returned as winner of the election.
Also speaking, Imo chairman of the PDP, Mr Charles Ugwu said that the party will not allow what he described as a,” rape of democracy “.
He added that the PDP would employ all its constitutional rights to seek redress until justice is served.
It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal had faulted the judgement of the Federal High Court, Owerri, which had nullified the candidacy of Ibezim and declared him candidate while sacking Araraume barely 24 hours to the election.
The Federal High Court, Abuja had on the other hand declared Araraume as candidate of the party, on the grounds that Ibezim presented fake certificates to the APC and INEC.
