The Chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), Buba Galadima, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking to invalidate what he described as the purported election of the Adams Oshiomole-led National executive committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a letter dated July 4, Mr. Galadima who led some aggrieved members of the APC to form a splinter group told the electoral body that the Congresses leading up to the National Convention of the party were marred with serious irregularities and manipulations.
It added that in at least 22 states, parallel congresses were held and different set of delegates and officers emerged. Some of the states were parallel congresses were said to have been held include: Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto and Zamfara.
“Unless otherwise provided for: All party posts prescribed or implied by this constitution shall be filled by democratically conducted elections at the respective National Convention or Congress subject, where possible, to consensus, Provided that where a Candidate has emerged by consensus for an elective position, a vote of “Yes” or “No” by ballot or voice shall be called, to ensure that it was not an imposition which could breed discontent and crisis,” the letter read.
It added that aside the chairman, the positions of the National Welfare Secretary, Financial Secretary, Physically Challenged, Zonal Secretary North-Central, Zonal Organising Secretary North-Central and Zonal Women Leader North-Central among others should also be invalidated.
It also alleged that the Chairman of the Convention, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar flagrantly usurped the powers of the delegates and declared 18 officers elected without following the laid down criteria.
It therefore request INEC to intervene, following precedents established over the years, to declare invalid and unlawful and not to accord any form of recognition to officers purportedly elected at the APC Convention of June 23, 2018.
…APC reacts to Galadima’s letter to INEC
The All Progressives Congress, APC, last night reacted to the letter written by members of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Chairman of R-APC, Buba Galadima, had petitioned INEC on behalf of his group; demanding for invalidation of the election of national officers that emerged during the party’s convention.
Speaking to reporters on the development, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Bolaji Abdullahi, described Galadima’s letter as ill-conceived and futile, noting that INEC cannot nullify an election it did not conduct.
The party spokesman also said that “since Galadima did not contest for any position during the national convention; he lacked the locus standi to complain about its outcome.
“Besides, if he said anyone was not happy with the outcome of the electoral process, the appeals committee existed to entertain their grievances and proffer solutions based on the party’s constitution.
He said: “In response to colleagues asking for reaction to a letter said to have been written to INEC by Alhaji BUBA GALADIMA, I will like to point out that the action is ill-conceived and therefore futile.
“INEC has no powers to council an election it did not organise.
“Secondly, the man calling for the cancellation of the convention did not contest for any position at the convention therefore has no locus to complain about its outcome.
“Besides, if candidate was not happy with the election process at the convention, they should petition the appeals committee. INEC cannot help them.”
