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KOGI: SDP members block INEC’s gate over decision to disqualify its gov’ship candidate

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KOGI: SDP members block INEC's gate over decision to disqualify its gov'ship candidate

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has protested against the move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify its governorship candidate, Mrs Natasha Akpoti.

Angry members of the party thronged the gate of INEC’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday alleging that the electoral body was bent on disqualifying Mrs Akpoti ahead of the elections scheduled for November 16.

Speaking with newsmen during the protests, Mrs Akpoti said INEC was making it difficult to replace the party’s governorship running mate, Mr Muhammad Yakubu, whose age was less than 35 years as required by law.

According to her, the SDP had written a letter to INEC on Monday being the deadline set for replacement of names of nominated candidates, to enable it to replace Yakubu with Khalid Adam but added that the request was turned down by the electoral body.

Mrs Akpoti declared that SDP will not sit back and allow the electoral commission to disenfranchise it, even when the law has made provision to replace nominated candidates.

READ ALSO: Results of Kogi guber already written in favour of Yahaya Bello —Kogi Guber Candidate

She said; “I am a Nigerian. We will not sit back and allow INEC to disenfranchise us and derail our democracy,” Natasha said.

Some of the inscriptions on placards carried by the protesters read: “It is Natasha or nobody, Natasha must contest, we no go gree, Say No to intimidation, Natasha is our choice, We are for peace” and Natasha is Kogi’s hope”.

The protests by the SDP comes days after the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) also accused INEC of plotting to use technicalities to disqualify some candidates ahead of the Kogi State governorship election.

According to APM National Chairman, Mr Yusuf Dantalle, who spoke at a news conference on Monday in Abuja, INEC is plotting to subvert the processes of the state election.

Dantalle added that the electoral commission commission wrote a letter to the party on Sept. 13, notifying it that its nomination for Kogi deputy governor, Mr Awombo Bala, was invalid because he was 30 years.

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