Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to distract or misinform the people over Tuesday’s judgments of the Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja.
In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, Rivers APC said the “misleading” judgments of the tribunal, involving Dr. Dawari George and Lucky Odili, for Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency, both of the House of Representatives, had been appealed.
The party said its matters at the tribunal were receiving favourable attention.
APC described the “technical setback” in the Dawari and Odili’s matters as temporary.
APC said: “The attention of the Rivers State chapter of the APC has been drawn to attempts by the PDP and their agents to sell to the public the impression that APC’s petitions before various tribunals in Abuja are on the verge of being thrown out, on the grounds of technicality.
“This is sequel to the judgments, on Tuesday, by the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in the matters of Dr. Dawari George and Mr. Lucky Odili. Both men had filed petitions challenging the victories of Boma Goodhead, of Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and Prince Nnam Obi, of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency, but the tribunal ruled that the APC’s revised notice for the conduct of primaries was not within the stipulated 21 days.
“Since this development, the PDP and their agents have inundated the media, claiming that all other APC candidates’ petitions would be affected by the technicality of time.
“The APC feels obliged to explain, for the benefit of our members and Nigerians, that there is no atom of truth in the assertions by our opponents regarding this matter. The truth remains that the APC’s national headquarters issued a notice for the conduct of party primaries on September 19, 2014, which was more than the 21 days required by law. However, due to certain circumstances, the APC, out of courtesy, sent a revised notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), informing the electoral umpire of a slight change in its primaries schedule, to which the INEC acknowledged receipt. All of the actions eventually happened within the period specified by INEC in its timetable.”
The Rivers APC noted that it was curious to its members that the tribunal, sitting on the matters of George and Odili, based its decision on a revised notice that might not have been written, to technically set aside the petitions of both APC’s candidates.
With the appeals already filed by the two APC’s candidates, the party expressed optimism that justice would be served George, Odili and the Rivers APC.
It said: “It is rather shocking that the PDP and their agents have started bandying that the judgments on Dr. George and Odili also affect all other APC petitions before various tribunals. That is a white lie, meant to distract and misinform the public.
“The Rivers APC will like to reassure its members and Nigerians that the revised notice of the primaries has no consequential effects on all other petitions by APC’s candidates at all levels – be it the House of Assembly, governorship, House of Representatives or Senatorial petitions – presently being heard at the different tribunals.”
The APC also urged its members to remain steadfast and prayerful.
It assured that victories at the various tribunals were around the corner.
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