By Timothy Ojo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State may not be eligible to put forward a candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the state, if the party does not comply with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) laws.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had earlier rejected the letter of notice by the Ondo State chapter of the APC, for the party’s governorship primary election, after the party failed to meet up with the constitutional requirements.
According to INEC secretary, Mrs Rose Onaran-Anthony, the said letter forwarded to the commission didn’t contain the National Chairman’s signature, with only the signature of the Acting National Secretary, Waziri Bulama appended, INEC considered the letter unacceptable.
According to INEC, the letter violates the provision of Article 4.4 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Party Primaries, which requires the signatures of the National Chairman and The National Secretary of the party.
Onaran-Anthony added that, in the party’s interest, the letter should be duly signed, to comply with the law.
The development may pose a problem to APC governorship aspiration.
According to Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act, parties are required to give INEC 21 days notice for the conduct of their primaries for governorship elections.
Last week, the APC had notified INEC that July 20, 2020 was for its primary election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled October 10, 2020, for the exercise.
