Abia LG Election: You Can’t Disqualify Our Candidates, APC Dares ABSIEC

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has taken a swipe at the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), saying it has no right to disqualify its candidates from contesting the forthcoming Local Government elections in the state.

According to a former secretary of the party in the state, Perfect Okorie, the action of the commission amounts to contempt of court.

The APC in a statement issued by its caucus public relations officer in Abia North Senatorial Zone, Chibuike Jonas, described the action as unconstitutional, insisting that it was dead on arrival.

The statement reads in part, “ABSIEC has once again shown not just Abians but Nigerians in general that they are not ready to conduct a free, fair and sincere election through the disqualification of some candidates of the APC.

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“As party, we need to state categorically and to remind Prof. Mkpa and his team that ABSIEC has no right to disqualify any candidate.

“This is stated clearly in the provisions of sections 31(1) and 83 of the Electoral Act, which provided that INEC cannot disqualify or reject a candidate nominated by a political party for an election.

Recall that an Abia High court sitting in Aba had penultimate week restrained ABSIEC from disqualifying any candidate of APC from contesting the election.

However, while the matter was still pending in court, ABSIEC went ahead to disqualify some chairmanship and councillorship candidates of APC.

The party had before now through its leaders cautioned ABSIEC against taking sides in the conduct of the election.