EDO 2016. APC NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ENDORSE 2014 DELEGATES LIST FOR THE PRIMARIES.

BENIN— "Those who are no more in APC either by reason of death or defection cannot be replaced till after the primaries".

APC Aspirants

AHEAD of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship primaries slated for March or April 2016, the party has said that it will adhere to the 2014 delegates list, even as it assured party faithful that the conduct of the exercise will be transparent, free and fair. State Publicity Secretary of the party in Edo State, Mr Godwin Erhahon, in a statement in Benin, said that the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had already assured that the list of delegates elected at the 2014 congress remains intact and sacrosanct.

Our press gathered that the leadership of the party in Edo State had been in Abuja in the last one week trying to impress on the national leaders of the party why the 2014 delegates list should be altered. It was, however, learned that the national leadership of the party refused to shift grounds on the issue.

Erhahon’s clarification was sequel to allegations that attempts were being made by some officials of the party in the state to alter the 2014 delegates list to accommodate those not qualified for the delegate conference. A chieftain of the party who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, alleged that a particular party member from Oredo Local Government Area of the state, was busy suspending and removing members of the party and substituting the names of those who have died and were part of the 2014 delegates list with a view of supporting a particular governorship aspirant to emerge as the party’s flag bearer.

However, Erhahon explained that, “All elected delegates who are still members of the party will be the voters at the primaries. Those who are no more in APC either by reason of death or defection cannot be replaced till after the primaries.

“This reassurance has become necessary to douse tension over rumours, boasts or threats from various quarters that attempts are being made by some persons to alter the list of delegates. All governorship aspirants and their promoters are advised to humble themselves to existing party leadership including the delegates rather than sponsor suspension of party officials or replacement of delegates which can only backfire on them in the end. “Edo State leadership of APC will not tolerate any attempt to discredit the national leadership of the party which is the maker and custodian of the list of delegates,” the source added.