INEC gets ultimatum to act on Zamfara APC primaries

The Coalition of Democratic Watchdog of Nigeria (CDWN) has given INEC
an ultimatum to do the needful on the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Zamfara state primaries.

The group said congresses were held on October 3 in 140 local
government areas out of 147.

The coalition also claimed that the said primary election was
witnessed by the necessary parties, including INEC.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the leader of the
coalition, Hugo Okafor said the nation’s democracy was under threat
and Nigeria in the League of Nations is being consistently mocked over
the recent decision of INEC.

“Fortunately, INEC still has some time to correct these orchestrated
shame and national disgrace by doing the needful. INEC, by this medium
is given the maximum of a fortnight to rectify these issues to save
Nigeria from the unending laughing stock for which the commission has
plunged the nation.”

The APC was declared ineligible to field candidates for all elective
positions in Zamfara state in the 2019 general elections, by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 15 days ago.

The group said: “We, as a coalition has been monitoring events as it
unfolds as a result of the fallout of the APC primary elections held
on the 3rd and 4th of October, 2018 in Zamfara state. These primaries
held in the presence of the Zamfara state INEC Resident Electoral
Commissioner (REC), 2 Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIG),
the state Commissioner of Police (CP), the State Director 055, etc.
across the 147 wards that make up the 16 local government areas of the
state.

“Violence erupted in 7 wards out of the 147 wards that ‘make up the
state. This led to the cancellation of the elections in the affected 7
council areas which was held the next da,y being 4th of October,
2018.”

The coalition questioned INEC’s interest in Zamfara and said : “Why
was INEC Headquarters, Abuja so much in a hurry to issue a statement
even while the primaries were still ongoing? Could election primaries
that held in 140 wards but could not hold in 7 wards which later held
on the 4th of October, 2018 be nullified and assumed to be marred with
violence? What is the percentage of 7 to 140?

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