Boost For PDP As APC Pulls Out Of Major Election

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced its intention to boycott the upcoming local government election in the state, scheduled for October 5, 2024.

This decision, which is a major boost for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state, comes amid concerns over significant procedural irregularities within the electoral process, raising doubts about the election’s legitimacy.

Members of the APC, led by caretaker committee Chairman Chief Tony Okocha, have voiced their dissatisfaction with the process, citing a lack of adherence to legal standards as their primary reason for opting out. During a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, Okocha emphasized that the party’s decision to boycott the election is rooted in the belief that the current electoral process is flawed and not in compliance with established legal protocols.

Okocha also revealed that the party has taken legal action to halt all proceedings related to the election, arguing that the necessary legal requirements have not been met. He stated, “The key issue here is the APC’s stance on the local government elections set for October 5. We are currently in court, so I won’t go into details on matters under litigation. However, our legal action is aimed at restraining the agencies planning to conduct this election, as the process was initiated without our involvement.”

He further explained that the party was not part of the decision-making process for the October 5 election, despite raising concerns earlier in the year. Okocha asserted that conducting local government elections in Rivers State without APC participation would be invalid and questioned the legitimacy of the entire exercise.

“The reason we went to court is not due to a lack of numbers or strength. We have capable candidates who can win any election. Our issue is with ensuring that the electoral process is transparent and in line with the law. The current process does not reflect the will of the voters; it’s predetermined. We were excluded from the stakeholders’ meeting where the decision for the October 5 election was made, and as such, we cannot participate in this flawed process,” Okocha concluded.