BY CHRIS OCHAYI
ABUJA— The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has petitioned Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, over the conduct of national convention by agents of the Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, which it described as fraudulent and illegal.
The party, in the petition signed by its National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, and National Secretary Alhaji Sani Shinkafi respectively, said it was shocked over the report of purported national convention of APGA on April 8, 2013, in Awka.
In the letter dated, April 15, the party alleged that 21 of the 29 persons listed as state chairmen were impostors who were not even members.
The letter read: “With shock we write you this letter to protest the reported purported National Convention of APGA on April 8, 2013, in Awka held between the unholy hours of 1am and 5am of the said date with the other associated fraudulent manipulations. More shocking was the reported attendance of officials of INEC at the said event at the odd hours.
”Indications that something sinister was in the offing emerged in the afternoon of Friday, April 5th, 2013, when a news flash was circulated on telephone that INEC has approved that the purported convention will go on. On inquiry we were told that the Commission took the decision on same Friday April 5th, 2013.
”Firstly, we wish to state that we were surprised at the turn of events. You will recall that earlier, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, had written the Commission on the 25th of February, 2013 giving the Commission notice for the Congresses and Convention of APGA with a schedule of programmes based on the same lame grounds. On the 1st of March the Commission rightly dismissed the request as lacking in credibility.
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