By Francis Sadhere
THE National Vice Chairman (South South) of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Tom Ikimi has made it clear that the party has not adopted Barrister Festus Keyamo as Delta Central Senatorial candidate in the forthcoming bye-election.
Recently, the legacy parties comprising of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) from the eight local governments and their senatorial heads together with State officials of the legacy parties, came together and issued a communique endorsing the candidature of Keyamo and adopting him as the concensus candidate for the election.
But Chief Ikimi in a press statement said Keyamo had not been adopted by the party as Delta Central Senatorial candidate and warned those behind the purported adoption to desist from acts capable of heating up the polity.
The APC Chieftain said; “My attention has been drawn to reports in the print and electronic media particularly the paid advertisement in the Vanguard Newspaper of Friday the 13th of September 2013.”
“In those reports and publications it was alleged, among others, that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted a candidate in the person of Olorogun (Barr.) Festus Keyamo, to contest the a bye elections to the Delta Central Senatorial seat in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is yet to be declared vacant For the avoidance of doubt and the benefit of all Nigerians, the said reports and publications are neither true nor authorised. They should therefore be disregarded completely, he stated.
According to the statement also; “The only organ that has been put in place for the All Progressives Congress so far is the Interim National Executive Committee IEC, led by Chief Bisi Akande as National Chairman. I serve in the Committee as National Vice Chairman (South South).”
“The Party is in the process of putting in place State Harmonization Committees in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Thereafter membership registration will commence nationwide leading to the holding of congresses at the Unit, Ward, Local Government and State levels while a National Convention will conclude the process at the Federal level,” Chief Ikimi stated.
He added that; “The Parties that merged to form the APC including ACN, ANPP, and CPC no longer exist and cannot be reconvened by any persons or group in any manner or form to take any decisions purported to be on behalf of the APC. A special case was that of Anambra State recently where membership registration was conducted by the APC across the State to enable the Party hold direct primaries to elect a candidate for the Governorship election slated for November this year.”
“The All Progressives Congress deeply regrets the sudden and untimely death of Senator Pius Ewherido who was representing Delta Central Senatorial District in the Senate. He was one of those who worked hard with us to ensure the success of the merger that produced APC and we considered him one of our strong members.”
The APC Chieftain also said; “In spite of this unfortunate incident we take note of the fact that neither the Senate nor the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally declared the seat vacant.”
“While we expect that declaration soon, and being a law abiding Party, we will not engage in any act that would clearly be preemptive of due process and be seen to be in disregard for laid down rules and regulations.”
The press statement reads further; “However, the Party will do all that is necessary to ensure discipline at all levels and would like to strongly appeal to all those who wish to join the party to maintain orderliness and good behavior throughout this formative period and beyond.
When the time comes for any election to take place, the Party will ensure due process in a manner that will accord with internal party democracy and ensure a level playing field for all.
I therefore appeal to those behind the said reports and publications to desist from acts capable of heating up the polity or even misleading well meaning Nigerians who have cultivated such a high level of confidence in the APC as the desired platform for positive change in our country.
