An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Abia State, Chief Daniel Eke, has described the claims by some aspirants that they have been elected as candidates for the 2023 governorship election as “misleading and pejorative.”
Eke contended that no candidate had emerged yet in the state.
In a statement issued on his behalf by his campaign organisation, Chief Daniel Eke Campaign Organisation, the aspirant urged the public to disregard such claims.
He argued that it was unfathomable that two aspirants in the party could claim to conduct the same primary election, using direct and indirect modes of primaries.
The full text of the statement made available to SummitNews in Umuahia on Monday reads:
“Our attention has been drawn to two different results circulating within the media space wherein our principal Chief Daniel Eke a formidable and frontline governorship Aspirant under the APC in Abia state was allocated 16 and 1953 votes respectively.
“Our position is that these are very laughable frivolities as well as pitiable and hysteric hallucinations oozing out of those propelling the falsehood, as no person can build castle in the air.
“For those who are claiming victory through an indirect primary election, we wish to let the National Working Committee, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the general public know that we were not communicated about the venue and mode of the said primary election by any person or authority vested with the obligation to do so.
“Therefore, we are not aware that such election was effectuated in Abia state.
“Assuming but without conceding that such incident took place, shall it not amount to illegality of discrimination against our principal, rigging before election, unlawful exclusion and total abuse of process to conduct any election without the consent of those who spent their hard earned money to procure the forms, went through the rigours of screening and have been spending deeply for campaigns?
“It shall be a show of shame and affront to democracy and shall never be allowed to stand if there was an indirect primary election in Abia state.
“How can any person claim to have conducted an indirect primary election in Abia state, when there was no election to elect the delegates at the various levels?
“And of course, when there was no communication made by the committee that was sent to Abia state from Abuja?
“For those claiming victory through direct primary election, who and who were members of the election committee?
“Who were the collation and returning officers?
“How did they get the materials for the elections and when were the said elections conducted?
“In which areas of Abia state were the exercise conducted? “Can they provide any valid documentary evidence to this claim?
“We hereby wish to unequivocally and vigorously reiterate our position, let the national leadership of our great party and general public know that without conducting a fresh and valid governorship primary election in Abia state, APC has no candidate for the election as none of the trifles being circulated shall stand the litmus test of the extant laws.
“We therefore call on all relevant authorities, including INEC and the general public to disregard such dangerous and misleading publications and reject any attempt to foist any person as APC governorship candidate in Abia State because none has emerged.
“We, hereby most respectfully call on the National Working Committee to without hesitation, fix a date to conduct a valid direct primary election which shall strictly comply with Article 20.4 of the Constitution of the Party and that of Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022(As Amended).
“This will enable the teeming members of APC in the state to see that the fair and just thing has been done and save the party from implosion in the state.
“However, it is important to expressly make it very clear that, should no proportionate remedy be given by the party, then we shall also explore all legitimate and legal options,” concludes the statement
