BEVERLY HILLS, February 02, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral, Commission, INEC, on Tuesday released timetable for the conduct of elections as ordered by the Court of Appeal, excluding the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from participating in the re-run election for Anambra Central senatorial zone scheduled for March 5.
It also barred the All Progressives Congress, APC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, from fielding candidates for the re-run polls in Kogi, Abia and Adamawa states respectively.
Regarding the re-run election in Anambra where there is much confusion over a recent Supreme Court judgment in the internal dispute involving rival PDP state executives, INEC said the party is excluded from participation.
The commission, in a statement signed by its Secretary, Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, said: “Following consultations with major stakeholders in the electoral process and public interest in the subject, INEC at its meeting held on February 1, 2016, considered and approved dates for the conduct of elections as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
“Consequent upon the judgments of the court, the commission will conduct the elections in 69 of the said constituencies with the same political parties and their respective candidates who participated in the annulled elections.
“The commission further gives notice that the political parties and candidates entitled to participate in the elections in the other 11 constituencies.”
The timetable issued by INEC scheduled the re-run elections in 16 states of Gombe, Adamawa, Kaduna; Plateau; Niger; Benue; Nasarawa; Kogi; Taraba; Imo, Abia; Anambra; Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom; Cross River, and Rivers to be conducted between February 13 and March 19, 2016.
The electoral umpire also listed parties and candidates who will be qualified to take part in the court-ordered re-run elections during the period.
In Abia State constituency election for Aba North, the commission said the same parties and candidates are to partake excluding APGA and its candidate, while in Adamawa federal constituency comprising Demsa/Numan/Lamurde, the same parties except the SDP and it’s candidate will slug it out.
For the Anambra Central senate re-run election and Plateau State Lantang federal constituency, INEC said the same parties and candidates, excluding PDP, are to present candidates whereas for the Kaduna State assembly (Lere West), the commission said same parties and candidates except APC are to present new candidates.
In the Kogi Central and Kogi East senatorial districts, INEC approved that the same parties and candidates excluding APC and its candidate contact.
In the same vein, APC and its candidates were excluded from the re-run elections in Kogi federal constituency (Okene/Ogori/ Mangogo), Ofu Ankpa state assembly constituency and Niger State House of Assembly election in Suleija constituency.
Although the commission did not expressly provide reasons for the exclusion of some of the political parties from the supplementary elections, it appears as if INEC based its decisions on the various court judgments which disqualified the parties and their candidates.
