The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded the All Progressives Party (APC) from participating in the forthcoming Bayelsa West Senatorial District bye-election scheduled for December 5.
“The exclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is in compliance with the Federal High Court judgement in suit no: FHC/YNG/CS/60/2020 and FHC/YNG/CS/66/2020 which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from including the name and logo of the candidate of the party for Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Peremobowei Ebebi,” INEC said in a statement made available to Igbere TV.
The Electoral Commission on Friday announced that only 12 political parties in Bayelsa met the commission’s requirements for the bye-election.
The statement, which was made available to Igbere TV via mail, was issued and signed by the INEC’s HOD Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah.
He stated that the 12 political parties cleared for the election include Accord, Action Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, Action Democratic Party, Allied Peoples Movement, Action Peoples Congress, New Nigeria Peoples Party, National Rescue Party, Peoples Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party and Young Progressive Party.
Igbere TV recalls that a presiding judge, Justice Jane Inyang, had in a judgment on a case of forgery filed by Richman Samuel, a former Director of Domestic Matters, Government House, Yenagoa, upheld the plaintiff’s prayers and declared the APC candidate ineligible to contest the Bayelsa bye-election.
The plaintiff contended that the academic credentials and voter’s card, which the defendant submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission for the by-election, were forged documents.
Ebebi, who is a former deputy governor, emerged the APC candidate in a direct primary conducted in September by primary electoral committee headed by General Abdulsalam Dahiru (retd.)
