The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Thursday the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no place in the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State following the disqualification of its candidate, David Lyon, and his running mate, by two courts of competent jurisdiction.
The party noted that the development points to nothing but victory for democracy, stressing that manipulators “cannot continue to have their way in our electoral process.” In a statement signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party also tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately delist the APC from the ballot as “any vote cast for that party would be a wasted vote, since the court judgments have made it clear that the APC is not in the election.” The PDP also reminded the INEC that two decisions of courts of competent jurisdiction have negated the participation of the APC in the race.
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The statement read: “The first was the judgment disqualifying the APC candidates over the presentation of false documents by the deputy governorship candidate, Biobarakuma Degi Eremienyo, which was followed by another judgment, nullifying the entirety of the APC primary that produced the candidates.
“It is, therefore, trite law that given the circumstances that have entangled the candidature of the APC, the party, accordingly, has no place in the November 16 governorship election and cannot lay claim to any vote.” The party called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged killings of its supporters in Nembe, few hours to the poll. “Our party stands in vehement rejection of any attempt to politicize the attack,” the statement noted, insisting that the masterminds, facilitators and executors “must be swiftly brought to book on the full terms prescribed by our criminal laws.”
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