![Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state. [PHOTO CREDIT: @officialdrbellomatawalle]](https://i1.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/06/198815887_340981184305835_3966981528185028035_n-e1624993956703.jpg?fit=772%2C623&ssl=1)
A group of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, APC Youths Solidarity Network and Guardian of Democracy and Development Initiatives has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) claiming the state governor, Bello Matawalle, has allocated all the elective seats to his cronies ahead of the APC primaries in the state.
The group said the alleged action by the Zamfara State chapter of the APC is in clear contravention of the provision of Section 84 of the Nigerian Electoral Act 2022 on the nomination of candidates by parties.
But the APC in Zamfara has responded that the groups are ignorant of the APC-approved procedure for the primaries in Zamfara and they are agents being used to subvert the election in the state
The petition co-signed by Danesi Momoh and Suleiman Musa copied the National Chairman of the APC, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General, Department of State Services, Commandant General, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, the U.S Embassy Abuja, the UK Ambassador, the UK Embassy Abuja, the UN Resident Coordinator, Nigeria.
The petitioners stated that they have uncovered a grand plot by anti-democratic forces in Zamfara State to disenfranchise aspirants from participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled party primaries in Zamfara State in clear contravention of the provision of Section 84 of the Nigerian Electoral Act 2022 on Nomination of Candidates by Parties.
“There are incontrovertible evidence that the provision of the Nigerian Electoral Act 2022, All Progressives Congress (APC) Constitution (March 2022 as amended) and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are being abused in order to muscle out other aspirants to pave way for anointed candidates as if we are practising a monarchial system of government as opposed to democracy.
“We have established beyond reasonable doubts that delegates to party primaries have already been handpicked (selected) by those who are hell-bent on imposing candidates against the collective will of the Zamfara State Citizens in clear violations of extant laws and statues governing conducts of party primaries as enshrined in All Progressives Congress (APC) Constitution, Nigerian Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“As it stands today, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State and his co-travellers have already allocated all elective seats that are to be contested at the primaries to their known political associates, friends and families ahead of the date of the primaries in a brazen display of anti-democratic ethos.
“Consequently, it goes without saying that Zamfara State All Progressives Congress (APC) has not learnt any lesson on the 2019 flawed All Progressives Congress (APC) Primaries that led to the disqualifications of all APC Candidates and their victory was truncated by the judgment of the Supreme Court that voided the primary election and the purported election was nullified.
“It is obvious that All Progressives Congress (APC) Zamfara State is on a familiar journey to self INFLICTED destruction. We demand that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as an unbiased umpire closely monitor the conducts and proceedings of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State and other states with similar tendencies to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the laws with regard to party primaries and nomination of candidates so as to deepen democratic governance.
“Your intervention is most needed to ensure that All Progressives Congress (APC) and your commission do not run foul of the law by allowing the anti-democratic element to desecrate our democracy.
“We will not hesitate to explore all avenues to seek redress including but not limited to instituting legal action against the commission and the All Progressives Congress (APC) should you fail to act on this matter.
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