- APC says it lacks the power to change or arbitrarily substitute Abdullahi Ganduje as a governorship candidate despite allegations of bribery leveled against the governor
- Lanre Issa-Onilu, the national publicity secretary of the APC, says a candidate can only be replaced or substituted if such person dies, voluntarily withdraws from contesting an election, or by a court pronouncement
- Court bars online medium from publishing Ganduje's alleged bribery videos
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has said it will not drop Governor Abdullahi Ganduje as its candidate for the Kano state 2019 governorship election, despite a recent video which allegedly purports to show the governor collecting kickbacks from contractors.
Lanre Issa-Onilu, the national publicity secretary of the party, said notwithstanding the allegations against the governor, Ganduje remains its candidate in Kano state because the APC lacks the power to change or arbitrarily substitute a bonafide candidate.
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He said according to the INEC rules, a candidate can only be replaced or substituted if such person dies, voluntarily withdraws from contesting an election, or by a court pronouncement, PR Nigeria reports.
“The INEC guidelines on the selection or replacement of candidates are explicit. It doesn’t confer power on political parties to whimsically, arbitrarily or recklessly just substitute a candidate on frivolous grounds," Issa-Onilu said.
“It is only when a candidate dies, voluntarily withdraws from contesting an election, or a court pronouncement that a candidate can then be substituted or replaced, if you like. So as things stand, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, regardless of the unfortunate development is and still remains APC’s Kano guber candidate. Don’t forget that the governor has sued the publisher of the online media for defamation of character."
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Meanwhile, a Kano high court has granted an interim injunction sought by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, restraining Daily Nigerian Newspaper and Jafaar Jafaar, its publisher, from publishing videos about him.
The Cable reports that the news platform had published videos showing Ganduje allegedly collecting kickbacks from contractors.
Legit.ng gathered that Ganduje had subsequently filed a N3 billion suit against the newspaper. The governor asked the court to declare the publication as wrongful and a defamation of character.
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Source: Legit.ng
