Will INEC Stop Soludo?

After a well fought primary election that nearly cost him his life, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Chukwuma Soludo, finally emerged as governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State on Wednesday, but Nigeria’s electoral umpire has thrown a spanner in the works for the party and its candidate.

The Independent National Electoral Commission announced the ruling party in Anambra State, APGA, would not be allowed to contest the November 6 gubernatorial election in the state.

INEC announced the decision after the party primaries on Wednesday, citing alleged violation of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

The primaries saw Soludo emerge winner of the primary organized by the faction of the party led by Chief Victor Oye.

INEC said APGA failed to adhere to the provisions of Section 85 of the Act.

APGA was accused of not notifying the electoral body when it held its ad hoc congress to elect delegates for the party’s governorship primary in July 1.

According to a statement by INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Publicity and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, APGA was bound to notify the body prior to the congress.

Meanwhile the Chief Jude Okeke-led National Working Committee said the flag bearer was suspended from the party a day before the primary for anti-party activities.

The Publicity Secretary of the Okeke-led faction of APGA, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, had on Monday stated that the Oye- led faction of APGA refused to submit the statutory 21 days’ notice on the Special Ward Congress to the Commission.

A letter dated June 18, 2021 and signed by the Secretary to INEC, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, said, “This is to inform you that the commission did not receive the statutory 21 days’ notice for the nomination of APGA Anambra State governorship candidate from Victor Oye- led APGA.

“Accordingly, the commission did not monitor the said ward congress and as such, there is no monitoring report of the Commission.

“The Commission wishes to emphasize the need for full compliance with all legal requirements for the conduct of Party Primaries as earlier communicated in the Commissions letter to your Party dated 37 June 2021 (REF: INEC/DEPM/UPPM/119/1/37.”

Unless the party is able to successfully challenge INEC’s decision in court, it may lose the state to either the All Progressive Congress or the Peoples Democratic Party which are the major opposition parties in the state.