2019: APC, ADC release September dates for presidential, governorship primaries.
- The All Progressives Congress and the African
Democratic Congress have released dates for presidential and governorship
primaries
- The APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole,
also listed the proposed dates for the federal and state assemblies
- The chairman of the ADC, Chief Okey Nwosu,
said the primaries for legislative and governorship positions will take place
on Friday, September 21 Ahead of the 2019 general elections,
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has
scheduled its presidential primary for September 19, while that for
governorship positions would be on September 24. According to a letter that the
party sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission through its
national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. Info gathered that the APC queried the
INEC for allegedly leaking the letter. The party argued that the dates
contained in the document were not sacrosanct because they were subject to
change. Oshiomhole also listed the proposed dates for the federal and state
assemblies. The letter, dated August 17, read in part, “Please be advised that
our party has scheduled to hold its congresses and primary elections for the
nomination of candidates in respect of the 2019 election.
“This serves as a formal notification pursuant
to the provisions of section 85 of the electoral act 2010 as amended. Kindly
arrange your officials to monitor the exercise accordingly. While hoping to
receive your cooperation; please accept the assurances of my highest esteem.”
According to the letter, the primaries are
scheduled to hold as follows: Saturday, September 8, nationwide congresses to
elect delegates to the national convention (presidential); Saturday, September
19, national convention to elect the party’s presidential candidate. While
confirming the authenticity of the document and denouncing INEC for allegedly
leaking it, the APC acting national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, said
Oshiomhole authored the leaked letter. Nabena, however, explained that the
dates contained in the document were subject to change. In a statement he sent
to newsmen, Nabena said, “Our attention has been drawn to a leaked letter the
national chairman of the APC Adams Oshiomhole wrote to the chairman, Independent
National Electoral Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, informing the commission of the
schedule of the congresses and primaries to elect party candidates for the 2019
general elections.
“These
leaks of our sensitive and confidential correspondence to INEC are becoming
commonplace and totally unacceptable. We strongly request that INEC looks into
its internal handling of official correspondence and put a stop to these leaks.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app “While the leaked formal
notification to INEC has been done by the APC pursuant to the provisions of
Section 85 of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended), we advise the general public
particularly the media to wait for an official announcement from the Party as
the leaked dates are subject to changes, if necessary.”
Meanwhile, the INEC could not be reached for
comments as at the time of filing this report. Also, the African Democratic
Congress (ADP) fixed its presidential primary for September 29, while the FCT
primary was fixed for September 11. The chairman of the ADC, Chief Okey Nwosu,
said: “Our first primary will be that of elective positions in the FCT which
will take place on September 11. We will show to Nigerians and other political
parties how a proper primary is conducted.
“The primaries for legislative and governorship
positions will take place from September 21 while the presidential primary will
hold on September 29, 2018.” Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that President
Buhari in Abuja declared his intention to seek re-election in 2019. Malam Garba
Shehu, the president’s senior special assistant on media and Publicity
confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja. He said that the president
made the declaration at a closed-door meeting of the National Executive
Committee of the APC in Abuja.
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