Confusion in Cross River APC as INEC delists names of all candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Cross River State office on Friday night announced the delisting of the names of all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state including contestants for the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives as well as state Assembly seats.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Frankland Briyai, who read a letter from the commissions’ headquarters in Abuja, dated February 22, 2019, and signed by the Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. Rose Orianran-Anthony, said that INEC did not recognise any candidate submitted by APC in the state.

His word: “I have an instruction from Abuja to make public to all Cross Riverians in a letter with a heading ‘Forwarding of Commissions’ decision in pursuant of Court order Suit No: FHC/CA/CS/731/2018, Hon Godwin Etim John VS APC and others.’

“The commission has directed that the names of candidates submitted by APC for governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and state House of Assembly for Cross River State be removed from the list of candidates for elections in compliance of the said order.

“However, the logo and names of the party shall be retained, pending the submission of the list of candidates from the Godwin Etim John-led state executive and the National Working Committee of APC in compliance with the above order.

“You are requested to update your records with respect to the above order and the list of candidates earlier forwarded to you,” he stated.

APC in the state has been engaged in leadership battle over who are the authentic candidates of the party in the general elections.