Austin Ajayi, Yola
As political parties conclude primaries for their candidates in various positions ahead of the general election and politicians jumping from one party to another to seek relevance particularly after losing election in their previous parties may have to wait till the next electioneering year as the new electoral act forbids such movements.
Section 115 (d) states that a person can’t vie for another party’s ticket for the same position in the same election.
One man who has violated this provision of the act is Alhaji Umar Mustpha (Otumba of Ekiti).
According to section 115 (d) of the amended electroal act, ” a person can not contest election for the same position in two parties on the same election” which according to the act is criminal.
It could be recalled that Otumba of Ekiti came a distant fifth in the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship primary and also tried his ambition in Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and again he lost his bid to contest for the Governorship election in Adamawa with a wide margin.
Not satisfied, the Otumba of Ekiti who is famous for his hard stance of destroying the great interchange and flyovers constructed by Finitiri administration has again shifted his luck to the Labour party (LP).
Some members of the party in the state are already protesting the entry of Alhaji Umar Mustapha in the governorship contest of LP, the members are saying due process and the electoral act should be followed.
Dr. V.T Tame who is one of the founding members of the party in the state and a governorship hopeful of the party said ” the party is not for the highest bidder stressing that he and some members have stood for the party when it was almost dead only for someone who lost governorship primary election in two political parties in less than three weeks to come and pick form to vie for the governorship ticket.”
He added that section 115 (d) clearly states that a person can not contest primary election for a particular position on the election in two different political parties.
While section 115b(k) states that anyone who violates this provision of the act is liable and will face a two year jail term.
Otumba who has failed in two primary election for the same position in two different parties can not be allowed to because he will scuttle the good chances of Labour Party in the general election if he picks the ticket as the electoral act will disqualify him. Dr. Tame said.
Ajayi a journalist, writes from Yola.
