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A Chieftain of ADC Southwest, Hon. Rahman Owokoniran. has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately reverse the publication of candidate names for some Local Government Areas in Lagos State and launch a thorough investigation into the conduct of its officials who monitored the party’s primaries because the list published by inec does not align with that of the appeal committee that was set up by the national.
According to Owokoniran, the candidate lists published for Kosofe, Eti Osa, Badagry, Apapa, and Ojo Local Government Areas do not reflect the outcome of the duly conducted primary elections.
He disclosed that preliminary reports indicate that some INEC officials monitored the primaries at venues different from those officially approved and communicated by the National Working Committee of the ADC, thereby creating avoidable confusion regarding the authentic results.
Owokoniran further stated that following complaints by aggrieved aspirants, the party initiated a review process during which the affected contestants were invited and the evidence presented was examined. According to him, the review identified the rightful winners, and the outcome was transmitted to the National Working Committee for appropriate action.
He maintained that the authentic results should be the ones officially submitted to INEC and reflected in the Commission’s records.
INEC cannot, under the Constitution or the Electoral Act, choose candidates for political parties. Its constitutional responsibility is to recognize the names lawfully submitted by the political party after its validly conducted primaries.
He therefore called on INEC to immediately reconcile the reports of its field officers with the lawful submissions made by the party. He maintained that inec should have been patient enough to wait for the report of the appeal committee that was set up by the party to review the process of the primaries.
Owokoniran warned that failure to address the issue promptly will undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The integrity of our democracy depends on respecting the will of party members as expressed through transparent primary elections.
Every lawful vote must count, every legitimate winner must be recognized, and every institution must discharge its constitutional responsibilities without fear or favour.
SB E-news.
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