By Gabriel Atumeyi
The Victor Ike Oye led faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), says former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo remains the authentic candidate of the party for the November 6, 2021 gubernatorial election in Anambra State.
APGA said it met the deadline for submission of the requirements for candidates nominated at their party primaries as constitution mandates, which is July 16, 2021, and that anything beyond that date amounts to illegality pending the determination by a court of competent jurisdiction.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Tex Okechukwu, it said any claim by any other group or faction lacks credibility and legality and is dubious as shown by the manner of the purported filling of INEC forms by Chukwuma Umeoji, the candidate of the Jude Okeke led faction.
APGA said since the only National Chairman and National Secretary recognized by INEC are Dr Victor Ike Oye and Mr. Labaran Maku, respectively, that in the same vein, the only candidate duly known to law and INEC is Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, whose candidacy has been filled in forms EC 9, EC 9B and EC 13B duly uploaded and submitted to the election management body.
The statement reads: “We wish to state unequivocally that Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo remains the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 6, 2021 Governorship Election.
“We also state that up till date, it was only Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo that meticulously fulfilled all the requirements enunciated by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the INEC Election Manual and the 2021 Electoral Guidelines of APGA for the 2021 Anambra State Governorship Election.
“It is also clear that the period permitted by law for the conduct of party primary for the election, downloading, uploading and submission of particulars of the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of political parties ended on July 16, 2021. Anything done thereafter without final judgment of court is null and void and of no consequence.
“Going by the above, it is indisputable that APGA under the able leadership of Ozonkpu Dr Victor Ike Oye vigorously worked to meet the various timeliness outlined in the laws regulating the conduct of activities of political parties toward the November 6 Anambra State Governorship Election.
“We find it detestable that some disgruntled elements masquerading as officers of the party would indulge in brazen acts of illegality and fraud aimed at hoodwinking the unsuspecting members of the public.
“We have studied the so-called nomination form claimed by some persons to have been issued to one Chukwuma Umeoji as APGA candidate, which he purportedly filled and returned to INEC on August 5, 2021 and state without any grain of doubt that everything about it was inchoate, irregular and doubtful.
“There are three sets of forms issued to every registered political party by INEC for the Anambra State Governorship Election. These forms were EC 9, EC 9B and EC 13B.
“But in the said fake letter in circulating they claimed to have submitted only Form EC 13B. This is curious!
“These forms were issued to Ozonkpu Dr..Victor Ike Oye by INEC as the national chairman of APGA and he subsequently issued the same to Professor Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim who completed them and returned. The forms were then uploaded to INEC using a special code.
“Let it be known that there was no way INEC would have issued such forms to Chukwuma Umeoji when the matter is still in court.
For now, the only National Chairman and National Secretary recognized by INEC are Ozonkpu Dr Victor Ike Oye and HE Labaran Maku, CON, respectively. In the same vein, the only candidate duly known to law and INEC is Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo (and his deputy, Dr. Onyeka Ibezim).
“We urge our teeming supporters to discountenance the social media propaganda, remain law abiding and await the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division.