2023: Akerele Kicks Against Endorsement of Automatic Tickets for Edo North Legislators
By David Lawani, Benin.
The former Chief of staff to Edo State Governor, Taiwo F. Akerele has condemned in strong terms the purported endorsement of Edo North Legislators for automatic tickets ahead of the 2023 general elections.
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Akerele who was responding to a statement credited to an APC chieftain and former Senatorial leader, Malik Afegbua ” Re: Automatic tickets for edo north incumbent legislators” in Vanguard newspapers stated that the endorsement falls short of the provisions of the party’s constitution and INEC guidelines on the mode of electing party’s aspirants.
He stressed that he thought by now the party would have learned its lesson over some past processes that nearly spelled doom for the party adding that 2021 should not be misconstrued for 1999 under whatever guise where a leader will just sit down in his parlor and pick a party’s candidates.
His words: ” My attention was drawn to the above media statement credited to a leader in Edo north APC, Chief Malik Afegbua (I am sure most of you must have read it as well) that present office holders in national and state assemblies will be given an automatic ticket by the party in our forthcoming primaries ahead 2023 elections.
” He has not refuted this to the best of my knowledge. And if he did it should be given wide circulation and publicity as well.
” However, I want to state very clearly that the mode of selection of party candidates to be presented to INEC and subsequently in a general election is very clearly stated in the constitution of the party.
” This is 2021 and not 1999 when people will just sit down in the comfort of their homes and endorse candidates. We must be extremely careful as a party.
” I thought that by now we as a party should have learnt our lessons albeit in a bitter form”, he said.
He noted that the present occupants have done woefully, so there is no way such endorsement can be said to be automatic for them. He maintained that if they had done well, it will be a huge gain to the party.
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” If the present occupants have done well, it should be the joy of the party to encourage them to showcase their records and invariably stand tall head and shoulder above their challengers.” The youths of the party and indeed members of the general public are waiting patiently, observing with keen interest how we organize our internal democratic process.
” We have gone through so much in recent times that what we need is careful and strict adherence and observance of our constitution and other electoral laws (as amended) of the federal republic of Nigeria.
” Having said this I once again wish our numerous party members a merry Christmas and a new year in advance.
” I end this statement with a quotation from the Holy Bible in 1st Corinthians 10:12 that goes thus “he that thinketh he standeth take heed lest ye fall’, he noted.
