Kogi Re-Run: APC Must Respect The Rule Of Law – Group | WakaWaka Reporters
Yahaya Bello

Kogi Re-Run: APC Must Respect The Rule Of Law – Group

The All Progressives Congress has  been called upon to respect the rule of law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A Youth group operating under Aidoko Support Group (ASG) rose from their meeting to voice their position on the current plans by the APC hierarchy in the State to conduct fresh primaries for the Kogi re-run elections.

One of the leaders of the group, Comrade Timothy Bello said ‘There is a brewing tension in Kogi over the court ordered rerun for National/State Assembly elections, the pronouncement of the court is clear and must be respected, It is worrisome and dangerous for our democracy if this is allowed to stand, there cannot be a justification for why the APC must field a candidate for the rerun elections in Kogi when there is already a judgement by both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court on the matter’.

The decision of the Court of Appeal in ISIAQ v. SONIYI (2009) All FWIR (Pt. 498) 347 at 384 wherein it was also stated:

‘Where there is nullification of an election on grounds of qualification, all the candidates that participated in the general election excluding the candidate adjudged not qualified can participate in the re-run election. As the time for nomination elapsed, it does not admit any other new candidate, it means the party that presented the candidate who was not qualified cannot present candidate for the re-run election’

In LABOUR PARTY v. INEC (2009) 1-2 SC (Pt. 11) 43 at 67 and 78, the Supreme.

In view of the above, we are saying categorically that we must all come together to ensure continued peace in Kogi, APC must eschew violence and not field Candidates for the rerun elections. Only the political parties that participated in the election except APC can and should field candidates for the respective re-run elections.

Comrade Bello also used the medium to thank the outgoing Governor of the State, Capt Idris Wada, and called upon the citizenry to support the incoming Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.