THE All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) yesterday faulted the new dates for governorship elections in Sokoto and Cross River states announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday.
The party said that the new dates were in violation of the Electoral Act. It therefore, urged the Commission to reconsider its stance on the matter.
In a statement yesterday, the party's National Chairman, Ogbonnaya Onu, said holding elections in Sokoto on February 18 and Cross River on February 25, 2012 would violate a section of the Electoral Act.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had on Monday announced during a media briefing February 4, 11, 18 and 25, 2012 as the new dates for the governorship elections in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Sokoto and Cross River states in that order.
But according to the ANPP boss, "INEC violated Section 31(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, which states as follows: 'Every political party shall not later than 60 days before the date appointed for a general election under the provisions of this Act, submit to the Commission in the prescribed forms the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections.'
"A look at the time-table scheduled by INEC for political parties to conduct their gubernatorial primaries and submit the names of their candidates especially in both states of Sokoto and Cross River, will show clearly that the action of INEC is in violation of the above mentioned section of the Electoral Act."
The statement continued: "Going by INEC's time-table for the 2012 governorship elections, December 29, 2011 and February 7, 2012 were fixed as the last dates for political parties to conduct their governorship primaries in Sokoto and Cross River states respectively.
"When the foregoing is calculated in relation to the new dates given by INEC for the conduct of governorship elections in the two states, it will be clearly seen that the statutory provision requiring a mandatory period of 60 days to lapse between when parties are expected to conduct their primaries and the date for the conduct of gubernatorial elections, has been violated by INEC."
"We are worried about the action of INEC. At a time when the majority of Nigerians are clamouring for enough time for robust campaigns that will enable the electorate to know the programmes candidates for elective office will implement when elected, it is disturbing that INEC has seemingly chosen to injure this very important aspect of our electoral process by its unlawful act.
"We urge INEC to reconsider its position and be guided by the law in the prevailing circumstance. Already, it has raised the serious question of whether its subsisting position is not aimed at weakening the electoral chances of opposition political parties in the affected states. We hope we are wrong in smelling a rat!"
The Guardian