Acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),? Abubakar Baraje, yesterday passed a damning verdict on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the electoral body acted against the laws of the land in its decision to remove the party’s candidate from the list of candidates for the forthcoming Bayelsa governorship election.
Without stating any reason, INEC excluded the name of the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state. But the decision was said to be informed by a ruling by the Court of Appeal which directed the Federal High Court to entertain the suit filed by Governor Timipre Silva, contesting the nomination of Seriake Dickson as the party’s flag bearer.
Speaking to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday, Baraje contended that the Electoral Act forbade? anybody, including INEC, individuals or any group to have a say in the election processes of any political party, including the primaries.
He said, “Section 33 of the Electoral Act is very clear. So we have pointed that out to INEC, that we have done our primaries and this is to the know of INEC. We have come out successfully with our candidate. We have made the necessary submissions and INEC acknowledged our submissions that time.
“So for them to have said that we are in court, therefore, they will not include our candidate is against the law. INEC has no authority to do so and we have pointed that out and we are working together. I am sure it will be corrected very, very soon.”
Asked whether the party intends to go to Court if INEC insisted, Baraje said, “I told you what we have done. It does not have to go to court. INEC will correct it very soon. INEC is headed by a very law abiding citizen. Prof. Jega is a very articulate and law-abiding citizen, a due process man and so he will look at law as we pointed it out to him and he will correct it. We do not have to go to court.”
On the court case arising from the party primaries, he noted: “That case has no bearing with what is on the ground now. It has no bearing at all. And even if there is a case in court, it does not stop any process. There is no judgement yet. Or is there any judgement?”