Observers fault APC over conduct of FCT primaries
A coalition of observers accredited by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to monitor its Senate and House of Representatives primaries in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has faulted the conduct of the exercise.
Spokesman of the coalition, Aminu Anyama, said the primaries did not hold as planned. He said that was why he addressed newsmen shortly before the commencement of the National Convention of the APC in Abuja on Saturday.
He said members of the coalition, who had earlier monitored the APC Senate primary on Friday, were disappointed as voting did not take place in any of the centres.
“When the situation took place on Friday during the conduct of the Senate primary, we thought that the scenario would be different on Saturday. But it was the same story.
“It is our belief that the party’s national leadership will take decisive action on what happened. As observers, we only take note of what transpires during such exercises, but we do not have the right or mandate to challenge anybody on anything that transpires,’’ he said.
He said the observers noted that thousands of APC members in the six area councils turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise, but went back home disappointed as “Voting did not take place in any of the centres slated for the primary election,’’ he said.
He further said that APC members waited in vain for the exercise to take place but no party official was on ground to count them for the direct primary adopted by the party.
“After waiting tirelessly, the APC members had to leave their respective polling units,’’ he added.
Another member of the coalition who also spoke at the event, Mr Muhammed Femi, advised the leadership of the APC to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the matter, to avert possible legal actions against the party by aggrieved aspirants.
He said the party still had the chance of conducting the primaries on Oct. 7 to meet the 12a.m. (Monday) deadline issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). (NAN)