Oshiomhole says APC must comply with electoral guidelines during primaries

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has pledged to ensure compliance with the electoral guidelines during its forthcoming primaries.

Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the APC, gave the assurance while speaking with state house correspondents after the APC caucus meeting held at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said the upcoming primaries were discussed based on the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2019 general election as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in January.

According to Oshiohmole, the APC is obliged to comply with the INEC guidelines because the rules are derived from the provisions of the nation’s electoral act.

“The meeting just had a conversation around the forthcoming primaries,” he said.

“As you know, based on INEC timetable on primaries, this is the season from the president down to house of assembly and the exercise must end on October 7 according to INEC guidelines.

“We are obliged to comply with the guidelines because the guidelines are derived from the provisions of the electoral act.

“So, we basically discussed how to ensure full compliance with the INEC guidelines and also ensure that we observe all the principles of internal democracy, participation, ensuring fairness and justice.

“I think those are the issues basically.”

He added that the resolutions at the APC caucus meeting will be tabled at the national executive committee (NEC) meeting of the party for deliberation and possible endorsement.

“By Thursday, we will go to NEC where the formal decisions will be rectified and once they are rectified there will be no problem. They are not being kept because every member of the party and indeed Nigerian are entitled to know how we agreed about the exercise,” he said.

“But I think everybody has confidence that we will do very credible primaries to ensure that those who fly the flag of the party have the mandate of their various constituencies.”