By Joe Chukindi, Awka
The independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will not take part in the 5thMarch, 2016 Anambra Central Senatorial rerun election.
The new Resident Electoral commissioner of the commission, Dr Lawrence Azubuike stated this during a meeting with the leadership of all political parties in the state at his office on Thursday.
Azubuike also told the leadership of the parties that the All Progressives Congress, APC can however participate in the election if it so wishes to field its previous candidate, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige.
He stated that only candidates and parties that took part in the March 28 election of 2015 will be allowed to participate, and that the commission still recognizes Ngige as a candidate of the APC as the commission has not been intimated of his refusal to vie.
“We have not been notified if the candidate of the APC has declined to vie, but I must also say that no one is compelled to participate, if anyone for any reason does not want to participate in the election, it is even better for us.
“The decision to exclude the PDP and even the APC if they are fielding a new candidate was not taken here in Awka by us, it was taken by our headquarters, and we are only meant to obey the instructions given to us.” He said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of APC in the state has said that it is not true that the party did not write INEC to state that its candidate in the March 2015 election has withdrawn.
Speaking for the party at the meeting, the secretary of the party said the party has upon the withdrawal of its previous candidate, who is not the minister of Labour and employment written to the commissioner, intimating it of plans to hold a primary election to elect a replacement for Ngiige.
The chairman of the party, Barr Ibe Emeka also cautioned the REC of the need to avoid what he termed the impunity of the commission by previous leaderships in Anambra state, saying that the only way things can be gotten right as far as elections are concerned is for the commission to do the right thing.
