INEC Delists Imo PDP Reps Candidate, Agulanna, From Saturday’s NASS Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission has removed the name of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala federal constituency, Imo State, Albert Agulanna from the list of House of Representatives candidates billed to contest next Saturday’s National Assembly elections.

The delisting of Agulanna followed an order by the Court of Appeal in January.

A check on the INEC website by our correspondent on Wednesday revealed that the electoral body, based on the appellate court order, did not include any name as candidate of the party for the federal constituency.

The electoral commission cited the “court order” as part of reasons for the withdrawal.

In January, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had sacked the House of Representatives candidate of the PDP in the state, Agulanna.

The court, in its ruling, also ordered that a fresh primary be held in the constituency within the next 14 days.

However, the Court of Appeal in Owerri barred INEC and the PDP from going on to conduct a re-run primary election for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala federal constituency of the state.

INEC had had said it did not monitor the re-run primary of the PDP in that constituency.

The Public Relations Officer of INEC in the state, Dr Chinenye Osuji, stated the absence of the commission last Monday while addressing journalists in Owerri.

Osuji said, “Any political party that decides to conduct its primaries in the absence of INEC is an effort in futility. INEC has to be present to monitor the exercise.

“If PDP decides to conduct the re-run primaries for Aboh Mbaise-Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency without INEC’s involvement, they know what they have done. So, it’s not for us to say.”

Meanwhile, Agulanna has challenged the decision of the appellate court at the Supreme Court.

The apex court, on Tuesday, resumed hearing on the suit and after adopting processes, adjourned the case till March 3 for ruling.