....Over death of candidate
By Chidi Obineche
Monday, February 06, 2012
By Chidi Obineche
Monday, February 06, 2012
 |
The death of the governorship candidate of the Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP) in the Bayelsa State governorship election slated for Saturday, February 11, 2012, Chief Ebakumo Ogbgetebe has stirred anxiety on whether the election will take place or not. Part IV, Section 36 (I) of the 2010 Electoral Act states that,
“If after the time for the delivery of nomination paper and before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate dies, the chief national electoral commissioner or the resident electoral commissioner shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased candidate was to participate and the commission shall appoint some other convenient date for the election within 14 days.”
Ousted governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, who is engaged in a spat on who should fly the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with Chief Seriake Dickson presumed to be the candidate of the presidency is believed to be working in cahoots with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the elections. The candidate died on January 23. The party (MPPP) is, however, singing a different tune, preferring to wash its hands clean of the elections.
In separate letters addressed to the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the National Secretary of the party, Hamisu San Turaki, the Bayelsa State Chairman, Mr. Isaac E. Eze and the late candidate’s running mate, Chief James Osian expressed non-interest in further participation in the contest.
Turaki’s letter, which was dated January 30, 2012 entitled, “Letter of non-interest to file any candidate for the governorship election in Bayelsa State,” reads in part: “We, the above named party wish to inform the commission on non-interest to file another candidate for the governorship election coming up on February 11 in Bayelsa State.
“If after the time for the delivery of nomination paper and before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate dies, the chief national electoral commissioner or the resident electoral commissioner shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased candidate was to participate and the commission shall appoint some other convenient date for the election within 14 days.”
Ousted governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, who is engaged in a spat on who should fly the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with Chief Seriake Dickson presumed to be the candidate of the presidency is believed to be working in cahoots with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the elections. The candidate died on January 23. The party (MPPP) is, however, singing a different tune, preferring to wash its hands clean of the elections.
In separate letters addressed to the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the National Secretary of the party, Hamisu San Turaki, the Bayelsa State Chairman, Mr. Isaac E. Eze and the late candidate’s running mate, Chief James Osian expressed non-interest in further participation in the contest.
Turaki’s letter, which was dated January 30, 2012 entitled, “Letter of non-interest to file any candidate for the governorship election in Bayelsa State,” reads in part: “We, the above named party wish to inform the commission on non-interest to file another candidate for the governorship election coming up on February 11 in Bayelsa State.
SOURCE: The Sun, 6 February 2012. http://sunnewsonline.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment