Ex-governor Akpabio, Senate President Ahmed, Tambuwal, Others May Go To Jail For Contesting More Than One Elective Post – INEC Official

According to Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike gini, on Tuesday, Nigeria ‘s Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, former Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Apabio, other Politicians who obtained more than one nomination form has committed electoral offence and are liable to two years imprisonment under the Electoral Act, 2022

Mr Mike He stated this while featuring on Channels TV, quoting Section 115 (D) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Igini said, “A person who signs a nomination paper or result form as a candidate in more than one constituency at the same election (commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum term of imprisonment for two years).”

Igini said by “constituency,” the electoral term refers to a separate election whether it is presidential, governorship, senatorial, the House of Representatives or that of state assembly.

He said any candidate who runs afoul of this law is liable to be jailed for two years, and that Section 115 (3) even states that an attempt to obtain multiple forms is an offence.

“Section 115 (D) of the 2022 Electoral Act stipulates that no person shall sign, obtain more than one form as a candidate for different elections.

“And the offence for that under subsection K, beyond the financial, he will go to two years’ imprisonment. Some people are claiming that they participated in one election, that they filled two forms; it’s ignorance of the law and it’s not an excuse.

“We are preventing them from being candidates for prison and they are calling our names everywhere,” the commissioner said.

He insisted that INEC did not monitor the primaries that produced Akpabio as the senatorial candidate for Akwa-Ibom North-West.

Akpabio had contested the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but he withdrew from the race on June 7, and asked his supporters to back Bola Tinubu, who eventually emerged APC presidential candidate.

Prior to the presidential primary, on May 27, Udom Ekpoudom, a former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, had won the primary election for the Akwa Ibom North-west senatorial ticket.

A parallel primary election was conducted and won by Ekperikpe Ekpo. However, it was later cancelled over irregularities, while a rerun was conducted on June 8, with Akpabio declared as winner of the exercise.

Lawan after losing the APC presidential ticket reportedly asked Bashir Machina, winner of the Yobe North Senatorial primary, to relinquish the ticket.

This implies that the senate president and Akpabio might have secretly obtained the nomination form for the senatorial seat of their respective districts while also seeking a presidential ticket.

By Igini’s submission, other politicians who might have violated the electoral act include Governors Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.

Atiku, Saraki, Tambuwal, Others In War Over PDP’s Ticket Ahead Of 2023

A proxy war has emerged among contenders for the 2023 presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), top sources informed The Nation.

Those who have signified interest for the opposition party president’s slot include former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Senate presidents; Pius Anyim and Bukola Saraki, governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi).

Others are; former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso; industrialist Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa and Ovation magazine publisher, Dele Momodu.

Atiku’s former aide and political associate Segun Sowunmi fired the first salvo in his letter to the PDP Governors Forum last week, asking the party to reject “kindergarten president and commander-in-chief.”

Sowunmi’s letter was viewed as a veiled reference to younger contenders in the race against 75-year-old Atiku.

The letter reads in part: “Everyone wants to be President after Buhari but not everyone can do the work that a post-Buhari President will be called upon to do. Presidential powers and privileges mean nothing if the prerequisite experience is absent. We cannot jump from frying pan to fire.”

Spokesman of a group within the PDP, Dr. Rufus Omeire, defended the young elements jostling for the PDP ticket.

He queried Atiku’s political relevance above other aspirants.

Writing under the eagis of the PDP Action 2023, Omeire questioned Sowunmi’s classification of Atiku as an “experienced” politician.

Omeire stated, “With respect to relevant experience for the top job, let us x-ray the candidates. Atiku Abubakar’s public sector experience consists of Deputy Director of Customs, a subordinate position.

“He never became chief executive of Customs and Excise Department. The buck never for one day stopped on his table in the Customs Service.

“He became vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,a highly exalted office, but he was never a chief executive. He only carried out instructions of his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“He never had the experience of a Chief Executive. The buck never stopped at his table. The President could accept or reject his recommendations.

“He didn’t have relevant direct experience of the top job. So wherein lies the famed experience of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar? He clearly doesn’t have the requisite public sector experience.

“Other aspirants seem to have better public sector experience; some have solid private sector experience as Chief Executives.

“Tambuwal, Saraki and Anyim headed Houses of the Legislature at the federal level as chief executives. The buck stopped on their tables as Speaker and Presidents of the Senate.

“Tambuwal, Bala Mohammed, Wike and Saraki have relevant executive experience as governors. They have seen it all from the executive point of view.

“They took decisions at the executive level in their states and have direct and first – hand experience in formulation and execution of government policies.”