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The scheduled state assembly primary election in Nasarawa State is yet to commence, following the introduction of a new delegate list, purportedly emanating from the National Secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The assembly primary election billed hold on Thursday is yet to start across the state, mostly because of the disagreement between the state chapter of the party and officials at the national secretariat of the party.
Credible information indicates that, just as the exercise was about to commence, a new delicate list said to be compiled at the national secretariat of the party, was brought into a bear in the conduct of the primary election but for which officials of the party at the state level vehemently resisted the use of the new delegate list.
Sources said the new delegate list has new names of delegates, especially for the local government delegates who are expected to elect candidates of the party for the state assembly, Federal House of Representatives, and Senate seats.
The particular local government areas affected are Awe, Doma, Keana, Lafia, Nasarawa Eggon, Keffi, and Nasarawa.
An expert in electoral matters said, the new delegate list if enforced, will contravene the provisions of the new Electoral Act on the election of local government delegates.
The new Electoral Act gives a specific timeline for the election of local government delegates and submission of such a list to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Even as the source added that all relevant stakeholders in the state have the true certified list of delegates issued by INEC.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the APC in Nasarawa State, is risking the nullification of the entire primary election conducted based on the new delegate list.
“Not only that, the party stands to lose all elections in which the winners of the primary elections conducted based on the illegal delegates. The courts will have a field day nullifying any such election in which the said candidates participated,” the source added.
Efforts to get the reaction of officials of the party at the state level proved abortive.
Global Times Nigeria recalls that the State chapter of the party headed by John Mammam D W addressed the press on Thursday evening and called on the National Secretariat of the party to not accept the purported delegates.
