The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed the nomination of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Sokoto State in the 2019 general elections.
This followed the substitution of Manir Muhammad Dan’iya whose name was previously submitted as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, INEC, Mr Festus Okoye who disclosed this in an interview with a national daily also said that by the substitution, Manir Mohammad Dan’Iya is now the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP for Sokoto State.
Okoye noted that as at the close of nominations for the Governorship and State Assembly Elections, the leadership of the PDP forwarded the name of Dan’Iya as the governorship candidate but that the party had just taken advantage of the substitution window to field Tambuwal, the incumbent governor of the State.
“By the provisions of Section 35 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), a candidate validly nominated by a political party may withdraw his candidature by a notice in writing, signed by him and delivered by himself to the political party that nominated him for the election and such a political party shall convey his withdrawal to the INEC.
“So it is the responsibility of political parties to nominate candidates for elections but such a party can withdraw a candidate properly nominated, if the candidate withdraws his candidature by a notice in writing signed by himself and delivered to the political party that nominated him.
“As at yesterday (Friday), the PDP carried out a substitution in relation to their governorship candidate for Sokoto State. They have now nominated Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as the governorship candidate of the PDP for Sokoto State,” he said.
Tambuwal, it would be recalled participated in the PDP Presidential primaries, losing eventually to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state, yesterday, rejected the results of the bye-election conducted in Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency where the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, was declared the winner.
The party described the outcome of the election as a robbery and did not reflect the will of the people, saying that its members were harassed and intimidated during the poll.
Addressing a press conference in Ilorin yesterday, the state PDP Chairman, Engr Kola Shittu further described the election as a charade and direct assault on the nation’s democracy.
Shittu, who was flanked by the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Tunde Ashaolu noted that some of the concerns raised by the party prior to the conduct of the election, which included alleged importation of thugs and heavy deployment of security personnel later manifested during the poll.
He lamented that the poll was characterised by ballot box snatching, widespread irregularities and illegal arrest of members of the PDP before and while the election was ongoing.
Shittu, however, called for an outright cancellation of the election because it fell short of the expectations of the people of the constituency.
He added that the brazen subversion of the will of the people, which the outcome of the election represented was an indication that the APC led federal government was not ready to deliver free, fair and credible elections in 2019.
“The PDP condemns in strong terms the conduct of the bye-election also rejects its outcome, as it does not reflect the will of the people of Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Isin and Irepodun Local Government Areas.
“The announcement of the candidate of the APC, Raheem Olawuyi Ajulo-Opin as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission is a daylight robbery, subversion of the will of the people and a direct assault on the nation’s democracy.
“Indeed, the election was a contest between the PDP and the security agents, as they both collaborated with the enemies of democracy, APC, to manipulate the electoral process and stole the mandate of the people,” Shittu said.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the candidate of the APC as the winner of the election.