Amid the controversy trailing the Akwa Ibom APC Senatorial Primary, a lawyer, Mr. Mathias Emeribe, has said that if the primary elections conducted were not monitored by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) then it should be considered as invalid and could not be recognised by law.
There has been different reactions trailing INEC’s rejection of the primary that produced Senator Godswill Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) candidate in Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial District.
Emeribe explained that there would be some element of arrogance because they are dealing with a ruling party ,which is presently in the government.
According to him, this had happened before in 2011 in Cross Rivers.
“In a state where the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was the ruling party, they carried out primaries which didn’t fall in line with the electoral act and INEC refused to recognise any of their candidates, but when the report got to Jega who was the Chairman of INEC then, it happened that PDP being that they were the majority, overnight just amended the provision of Section 31 by improvising to the effect that INEC does not have any power to reject any candidate submitted to them.
“This is exactly what is repeating itself here now because on May 27th, the only recognised primaries were the one that produced Udom, that was the one INEC was present and monitored and by law, that is the one that is recognised.
“So, if they have not done the needful, and to now begin to lean on the point that it was supposed to be held on the 28th, the question is what the communication is or notice that was issued to INEC, stating that the one of Akwa-Ibom is going to be on the 28th, we must get our laws and obey it.
“Yes, we agree that 95 per cent of the primary election are purely that of the party, INEC has barely about five per cent input to make but those are statutory provisions, and you must obey the rule of law,” Emeribe said.
