The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has insisted that its
Anambra governorship election primary will hold today, Wednesday, June
23, 2021.
APGA made this known in a statement signed by its National Publicity
Secretary, Barr. Tex Okechukwu, while reacting to a letter by the
Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) alleging that the party failed
to notify the Commission of the Adhoc Delegates’ Congress which the
party conducted across the 326 wards in Anambra State on June 15 and
16, 2021 respectively.
APGA maintained that the party duly complied with requisite statutory
notices envisaged under the Electoral Act 2010, as Amended as well as
other requirements clearly outlined by INEC in its Regulations and
Guidelines for the conduct of political party primary elections
published by INEC.
The statement reads partly: “The attention of our great party, the All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has been drawn to a letter with
Reference No INEC/DEPM/UPPM/1/145 dated the 18th of June, 2021 and
signed by the Secretary of the Independent National Electoral
Commission ( INEC). In the said letter it was alleged that our party
failed to notify the Commission of the Adhoc Delegates’ Congress which
the party conducted across the 326 wards in Anambra State on the 15th
and 16th of June 2021 respectively.
“We wish to state categorically that the above position of the
Commission is not in line with the dictates of Section 85(1) of the
Electoral Act 2010 as Amended, as well as a plethora of judicial
authorities in that regard. Our party duly complied with requisite
statutory notices envisaged under the Electoral Act 2010, as Amended
as well as other requirements clearly outlined by INEC in its
Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of political party primary
elections published by INEC. In line with the said INEC Regulations
and Guidelines, our great party undertook the following procedural
steps, to wit;
1) Publication of Timetable/Schedule of activities.
2) Statutory Notice of Primary Election dated the 26th of May, 2021 as
envisaged under Section 85(1) of the Electoral Act.
3) Conduct of Ad hoc Delegates' Election across the 326 wards of
Anambra State as envisaged under Section 87(7) of the Electoral Act.
4) Submission of the list of democratically-elected Ad hoc Delegates
to the Commission in line with Articles 4.5.1 and 4.5.2 of the INEC
Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Political Parties
primaries; as well as other relevant procedural steps/ requirements.”
APGA while insisting that it has always been complying with requisite
procedural requirements for the nomination of its candidates,
reassured party faithful, stakeholders and the general public that the
party is fully prepared to conduct its Governorship Primary Election
already slated to hold on 23rd of June 2021.
The party, however urged all members and supporters to continue to
pray fervently for the party ahead of the final stages of the
successful nomination of candidate for the November 6, 2021
Governorship Election in Anambra State.