The National Leadership of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Rejects Law instituted by the Anambra State Government

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The national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected a law instituted by the Anambra State government, purportedly banning candidates already screened out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from engaging in political campaign for the forthcoming elections.

A statement issued by the National Secretary of the party, Professor Olawale Oladipo, in Abuja, on Wednesday, said its attention had been drawn to the law which, it said, was targeted at members of the party.

The statement said though the list of candidates it submitted to INEC for the election had been challenged in court, the party was hopeful that the court would rule in its favour.  “The attention of the leadership of PDP has been drawn to a law recently enacted by the Anambra State government banning people who had been screened out by INEC from campaigning as candidates in the forthcoming elections.

“It is clear that this law is targeted at the members of our great party who have challenged the list of candidates published by INEC in courts of competent jurisdiction.

“It will be recalled that in accordance with the constitution of our country and the extant Electoral Laws, our great party conducted primaries for the

selection of candidates to represent the party during

the elections.

“Following the conclusion of the exercise, our party submitted the names of the duly nominated candidates to INEC as the candidates of the party.

“However, in deference to a court order, INEC published a different set of names as the candidates of our party. This action has been challenged in court and, indeed, the order relied on by INEC has been appealed against.

“It is trite law (as attested to by several judicial decisions) that it is the responsibility of the party to nominate its candidates for an election. We do not, therefore, have any doubts that our duly nominated candidates will prevail in the end as the candidates of our party.

“We view with grave concern the action of the Anambra State government in legislating on a matter that is beyond its competence and indeed sub judice.

“The attempt to prevent our duly nominated and very popular candidates from campaigning goes against the core tenets of democratic freedoms and a denial of the fundamental human rights of the affected candidates.

“This cannot be allowed to happen in a free society as ours. Consequently, we wish to direct our candidates to go on with their campaigns, pending the determination of the suits regarding the authentic candidates of our party in Anambra State,” the statement read.