20 Points Made by Barr Tukur Elsudi on Channels TV on the Future of Taraba APC after Supreme Court Judgement

By Amb. Rikwense Muri

1. Everything is under control, APC as a party is moving forward despite the challenges.

2. The Supreme Court has ordered that there should be a fresh primary election.

3. As far as litigations are concerned, we are not in control of the outcome as a party. 

4.  The Court has invalidated our party gubernatorial primary election and sack our candidate. We have accepted the position of the court as a law-abiding party.

5. As a chairman of the party, I am neutral, all I want is peace and success of the party.

6. I am looking forward to conducting a fresh primary election and we will provide a level playing ground for all contestants once the National Secretariat of the party to give us a date.

7. I am not the person that will conduct the election. It's the National Secretariat that will send a committee to conduct the election. All I have to do is to give them the anabling environment to operate smoothly. 

8. The constitution of the party recognizes anyone that join the party today to have equal right with the old members of the party. Those talking about old and new members are just been sentimental. 

9. I am supposed to be neutral and I will remain so in order to manage the sentiment and emotions of the party faithful and

to ensure that everyone is given the equal right at the contest. 

10. As we go for fresh primary election, whoever win will fly our party flag irrespective of whether he is old or new member. 

11. The 180 days window for the party to conduct primary election and submit names of candidates to INEC as stipulated by the Electoral Act 2022, is subject to the provision of the 1999 Constitution.  Under section 285, subsection 9 of the constitution, it empowers aspirants that are not satisfied with conduct or outcome of the primaries to approach the court for justice and the court has the power to give order that must obeyed by INEC. This constitutional provision overrides the 180 days stipulated in the electoral Act. The electoral act provides period of which the court must exhaust all litigations before the general election.   The Supreme Court's decisions are laws of the land. It didn't disqualify APC from participating in the election, it simply upheld the judgement of the Trial Court which asked the party to conduct fresh primary within 14 days. 

12. Senator Bwacha and the other contestants should sit down together and talk. But if they are unable to agree, then we will go for a fresh primary election.

13. I have not reach out to any of the contestants until I read the judgement of the Supreme Court to be able to understand its contents.

14. The APC as a party cannot afford not to present a gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming election. We are doing everything within our capability to ensure that we field candidates in accordance to the law. 

15. If the party prevail on Senator Bwacha to step down for peace to reign, as a loyal party man, I will advice him to step down.

16. The National Secretariat are equally waiting for the certified true copy of the Supreme Court Judgement for them to spring into action between today and tomorrow to enable it to give 7 days notice to the contestants and the general public. 

17. There are different opinions on the content of the judgement by different quarters but the party will do the right thing as required by the law. 

18. We have asked our members to continue with the Campaign despite the little setback we are experiencing. They should campaign for party.

19. I am recommending to my party to make sure that the people they send to conduct the election are people of character to ensure transpirant, peaceful and generally acceptable contest. 

20. If I am asked to give my opinion on the mode of the primary that should be adopted, I will recommend Indirect mode of election. In this type of election, the delegates are known, and they will all converge in one place to ensure free and fair exercise.