Why Cross River PDP cannot present candidates for April elections — Jega

The Nation

27 Feb 2011

Why Cross River PDP cannot present candidates for April elections — Jega

The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Com-mission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega says the Commission stands by its Resident Electoral Commissioner in Cross River State Mr. Mike Igini that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not do the right thing; hence it cannot present any candidate for the April general elections.

“In the case of Cross River, information available to us as at the time that we took the decision that we took is that congresses for the selection of candidates did not take place. Yes primaries took place.”

Jega said in Calabar yesterday that since reports available to the Commission shows that the Cross River PDP did not conduct congresses, its primaries could not be accepted.

“Frankly whatever we do, we do in accordance with the rule of law. The constitution, the electoral act and court judgments are there which constitute a legal framework under which we operate. One of the important requirements for field candidates for any political party is the requirement of primaries and congresses taking place”, he said.