For its refusal to replace candidates of the party that defected to other parties from the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), the party has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of playing partisan politics.
The party lamented that despite orders of the Court of Appeal, and the Federal High Court directing INEC to accept the names of fresh candidates submitted to it by the party, the electoral commission has refused to obey the order.
Candidates who left the party but are yet to be replaced by INEC include a former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano Central Senatorial District), Ibrahim Mikra (Taraba South Senatorial District), Yobe State deputy governorship candidate of the party, Yahaya Gamaje, among others.
Shekarau’s name appeared on the INEC final list as NNPP’s senatorial candidate for Kano Central District, despite his defection from the party on August 29.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary, Major Agbo, accused INEC of playing partisan politics that is unbecoming of an electoral umpire, by not accepting candidates submitted to it on September 1, 2022, after an earlier one on August 30, 2022.
He said: “We are aware of a grand plot to deliberately sabotage the NNPP and deprive our great party the opportunity to field candidates for these critical positions.
“The party approached the Federal High Court Abuja Division on September 12, 2022, by an originating summons on whether upon the proper interpretation of Sections 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the defendant (INEC) has the constitutional and statutory powers to prevent the plaintiff, the NNPP from conducting fresh primaries and replacing their candidates who have voluntarily withdrawn from the race to contest the 2023 general election?
“NNPP sought an order directing INEC to allow the party to submit the names of all the candidates it wants to replace with those who voluntarily withdrew their candidature for the 2023 general election and publish their names.
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