Elections’ll be repeated if we’re excluded – Rivers APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers state chapter has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the inclusion of its name on the ballot for all elections in the state, saying failure to include its candidates could mean that the commission would have to repeat the exercise in Rivers state.
Already, the party said its delegation from Rivers state has served contempt proceedings on INEC chairman and therefore urged the commission to comply by court order.

“Unless we’re on the ballot, the election won’t be smooth anywhere. The God of Rivers state wants justice and he will get it. We have not even had so much as an explanation from INEC.

“He is to appear in court to explain why he should not be sent to jail for disobeying subsisting court orders and excluding APC in Rivers state,” said Princewill.

“Unless we’re on the ballot, the election won’t be smooth anywhere. The God of Rivers state wants justice and he will get it. We have not even had so much as an explanation from INEC”, said Tonye Princewill, its Director, Strategic Communications for the Tonye Cole Campaign Organization said.

According to a statement the party issued: “Proceedings were served yesterday because INEC has shown us that it is no longer independent. How else can you explain the speed they acted after a judgement by Omotosho that said we should not only be removed from the ballot, but we should also be barred from campaigning? People should learn to fear God.

“Now, that same Omotosho’s order has been stayed, yet two weeks later, we’re still waiting for our rights to be restored and INEC is comfortable that it has not been given to us. To make matters worse, the Supreme Court, last week, threw out the appeal against the stay judgement.

“So, what is still holding INEC? They cannot exclude us. But if they do, they will face the legal consequences. We can either do this election once or they will conduct it twice. The law is on our side.”

Meanwhile, the party has reacted to the postponement of the elections saying it stood by the statements from Festus Keyamo and Garba Shehu.

According to him, “not only did they delay exposeed Wike and the PDP’s unholy alliance with INEC, it showed the whole world that injustice to one, is a delay for us all. They have offended God.”

“Even though the postponement of the elections did not come to me as a total surprise, I was still expecting the INEC chairman to stubbornly push on and try to force through the elections regardless. I still see disaster come Saturday.

“Unless we’re on the ballot, the election won’t be smooth anywhere. The God of Rivers state wants justice and he will get it. We have not even had so much as an explanation from INEC”, said Princewill.

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