I remain my party’s candidate, says Iduoriyekemwen

Despite the official recognition of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, a nominee of the Ali Modu-Sheriff’s faction, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, insists he is the party’s choice.

Iduoriyekemwen said in an interview that Ize-Iyamu’s recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was a nullity.

He explained that the legality of his nomination arose from the ruling of an Abuja High Court, which held that Modu-Sheriff remains the authentic National Chairman of the PDP.

The INEC, had on August 4, listed Ize-Iyamu as the PDP’s choice among the list of recognised candidates in the polls.

He criticized INEC for behaving in a manner that shows it is particularly biased in an internal matter of the political party.

The factional candidate described the commission’s action as “a theatrical comedy.”

According to him, INEC’s authority stops at being present at party primary elections which is not even compulsory, but supervisory.

He said: “For INEC to have said it couldn’t monitor the Modu-Sheriff-led primary showed its bias, especially as it was notified, even though the Electoral Act did not say the commission must be present at the primaries.”

According to him, “What is stated in the Electoral Act is that INEC may or may not be present.”

Iduoriyekemwen reiterated: “As it stands today, the commission cannot rule itself out of bias because Ize-Iyamu merely took the body to an Abuja High Court, which does not have the jurisdiction, except a Federal High Court.”

He continued: “Before the ruling on August 4 in Port Harcourt, INEC said it was waiting for the Court of Appeal which had made it clear that the Port Harcourt convention was unlawful,” adding “any product of the convention therefore remains illegal and a nullity.”

The factional candidate insisted since the INEC’s role has been breached, “The judiciary, which is the last arbiter, will be called in,” he added.