Zamfara APC Primaries: Group Urges INEC To Wait For Court Judgment Before Fielding Any Candidate.

A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations known as the Coalition of Democratic Watchdogs of Nigeria has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to field any candidate until the court decides who becomes the candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State. 

Addressing the press on Sunday in Abuja, Comrade Yunusa Idris on behalf of the coalition warned INEC that his coalition would not fail to mobilize 10 million Nigerians against the submergence and treat to democracy if Professor Yakubu and his team attempts to truncate the rule of law and the neutrality of INEC by aligning with any directives that undermines the Independence and neutrality of INEC. 

Excerpt is the full statement from the coalition:

A PRESS STATEMENT BY THE COALITION OF DEMOCRATIC WATCHDOGS OF NIGERIA.

The Coalition of Democratic Watchdogs of Nigeria has been watching with keen interest the unfolding events as it affects the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the supposed neutrality of the Electoral Management Body and the INEC Chairman, Professor Mamood Yakubu on the purported neutrality and the candidature of Zamfara State APC.

Election primaries held in Zamfara state as attested by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Zamfara state, 2 AIGs, Zamfara Commissioner of police, DSS, etc. But because the primary election did not favour an anointed candidate from the Presidency, INEC was rather too quick to announce that Zamfara state APC cannot field candidates even while the concluding primaries was ongoing.

Pursuant to the provisions of section 31 and 87 respectively of the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended), INEC ought to have exhausted the duration for primaries before placing a restraint on the APC.

Again, the contending individuals has gone to court on this matter. It is only compliant to the rule of law that governs modern democracy that INEC waits for the judgment on this matter before fielding any candidate.

As Nigerian Citizens, we may wish to ask the following questions:

1.        Why was INEC so much in a hurry to issue a statement against an       ongoing primary election? Could it be that the outcome of the primary did            not favour the Minister of Defence who wants to be a Governor at all cost?

2.        Why is INEC  under pressure from the Presidency to adopt Mr. Mansur        Muhammad Dan-Ali, the Minister of Defence as the APC Governorship          candidate of Zamfara State even while the court is yet to pronounce     judgment?

This matter stands as a litmus test for the Professor Mamood Yakubu led INEC as Nigerians are observing with the International community showing keen interest on the mockery being perpetrated on the most populous black democratic nation of the world.

By this medium, we wish to sound a note of warning on INEC which is funded by tax payers money that our coalition would not fail to mobilize 10 million Nigerians against this submergence and treat to our democracy if Professor Yakubu and his team attempts to truncate the rule of law and the neutrality of INEC by aligning with any directive/s that undermines the Independence and neutrality of INEC.

Thank you.

Signed:

Comrade Yunusa Idris.

For the coalition