INEC bars APC from participating in Niger election rerun

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not eligible to participate in the court-ordered re-run election into Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Niger State.

The electoral body also said the rerun election would take place on Saturday, February 6, 2021.

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday evening by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Festus Okoye, after a management meeting of the commission in Abuja.

According to him, the meeting deliberated on some issues including the judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered on November 17, 2020, which affirmed the nullification of the return of Kasimu Danjuma of the APC as a member representing Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Niger State.

Okoye recalled that INEC conducted a bye-election in Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Niger State on March 14 2020 and returned Kasimu Danjuma of APC as duly elected.

Okoye however said that on September 21, 2020, the Election Petitions Tribunal disqualified Kasimu Danjuma of APC and nullified his election.

Continuing, he further noted that on November 17, 2020, the Court of Appeal affirmed the disqualification and nullification of the said election and ordered the commission to conduct a re-run within 90 days from the date of the judgment.

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Okoye said: “It is important to note that the disqualification and nullification of the election were based on the ground that the candidate submitted forged documents to the commission and had nothing to do with any infraction on the part of the commission.

“That only duly nominated and qualified candidates of African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Grand Alliance, and the Peoples Democratic Party are eligible to participate in the election. Fresh nomination of candidates is not allowed in a court-ordered re-run election.

“That Kasimu Danjuma and the APC will not participate in the election, the candidate having been disqualified and the election nullified by the Court.”

Breaking down the activities leading to the rerun election, Okoye said INEC would give the statutory notice of election on January 11, 2021, while the political parties would submit the list of their party agents on January 29, 2021.

He further disclosed that the last day for campaigns would be February 4, 2021, while the election will take place on February 6, 2021.

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