APRIL. 11 2023-theGBJournal | The All Progressives Congress (APC) party has questioned the competence of Peter Obi to run as Labour Party Presidential candidate in the February 25th Presidential Election, arguing that Obi was not a valid member of the Labour at the time of Election.
The Challenge is among the APC’s plea to the Election Tribunal as it filed its petition asking the Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the Labour Party and Peter Obi.
The APC also challenged the Tribunals jurisdiction to hear the petition by Obi on the grounds that it is, among others, incompetent.
The APC legal team is arguing that Peter Obi was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until May 24, 2022, when he was screened as the party’s presidential aspirant, claiming that Obi participated in PDP’s screening exercise and was cleared to contest the presidential election as an aspirant.
The APC noted that Obi resigned his membership of the PDP on 24th May 2022 to join the Labour Party on 27th May, 2022.
The Labour Party primary held on 30th May 2022, when Obi was purportedly returned as a candidate, ”which time contravened Section 77(3) of the Electoral Act for him to contest the primary election as a member of the Labour Party.
The APC also argued in their submission that by the mandatory provisions of Section 77(1) (2) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2022, a political party shall maintain a register available to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not later than 30 days before the date for the party primaries, congresses and convention.
APC added that Peter Obi resigned his membership of the PDP on Thursday 26th May 2022 and joined the Labour Party the following day 27th May 2022.
The Labour Party and Peter Obi are challenging the victory of President-elect Bola Tinubu of APC, winner of the February 25 election, on grounds of alleged non-qualification and non-compliance, among others.
Twitter-@theGBJournal|
