The Network for change and good governance ( NCGG) has said contrary to reports going round, no candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) is barred from contesting the Kogi east rerun elections.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Halilu Pai, during the week in Lokoja disclosed that the APC has been barred from taking part in the Kogi east and central senatorial districts rerun election scheduled for February 20.
He explained that the exclusion of APC from the rerun election was in compliance with the dictates of the ruling of the court, which had particularly ordered that APC and its candidates should not be part of the rerun poll.
Speaking exclusively to LEADERSHIP, National Chairman of NCGG, Hon Ismaila Atumeyi said that INEC should come out publicly and say no candidate was barred from the rerun elections as the earlier statement of the commission was done in error.
According to him, Hon Abdulmumuni Ibrahim remains the candidate of the APC in the state House of Assembly re-runs in Kogi east ditto Senator Abubakar Abdulrahman ( railway) as both candidates remains the best choice going by their antecedents.
He said,”The people in Kogi east constituency should not listen to any rumour, no APC member is barred from contesting the rerun elections,the masses should remain calm and come out enmasse to vote for APC come February 20”.
“The recent decampment of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) members to the APC in Kogi East shows that the APC is on ground, more than 1000 members decamped to APC, this is a clear sign that our party is the winning party”.
“All we want is for INEC to come out publicly and say no candidate was barred from contesting in the Kogi east rerun elections . We urge all the communities of Ankpa not to vote for someone that will tarnish their image in the future, come February 20, Abdulmumuni Ibrahim and Senator Abubakar both candidates of the APC will emerge victorious”.
On his part, Hon Ibrahim said he is eligible to contest the elections,but expressed worry over the timing as they now have less than a week to campaign while urging his supporters to come out to vote for the APC in the elections.
He also warned INEC to remain neutral in the elections and stay away from politics as their actions may taint their hard earned reputation adding that they should stay away from activities that will undermine our democracy .
Credit: Leadership