PREAMBLE
Whereas;
(i) By section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), a system of Local Government by democratically Elected Local Government Council is hereby guaranteed.
(ii) Section 221 of the said Constitution gives sole authority to Political Parties to canvass for votes for candidates at any election.
In pursuance of the above, our great party Action People’s Party APP has approved the following guidelines for the conduct of Primary Elections for aspirants to the position of Local Government Council Chairman and Councillorship in respect of the forthcoming Local Government Council Election scheduled to hold in Cross River State on the 2nd of November 2024,
1. ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTY PRIMARIES:
(i) An Aspirant must be a citizen of Nigeria.
(ii) An Aspirant must fulfill all conditions stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), the Cross River State Local Government Laws 2004, and fulfills the requirements in the Action People’s Party, and all other requirements provided in the Guidelines herein.
(iii) An Aspirant must be a registered voter, and must attach photocopy of his/her INEC Voter’s Registration Card and National Identity Number (NIN) to the duly completed Party expression of interest For
(iv) Any member of the Executive Committee of the Party at any level, a Civil Servant or Public Servant, or an Appointee of Government, who wishes to contest in the primaries, must resign from the said office, employment or resign from his/her appointment not later than 30 days before the date of the main election.
(v) An Aspirant must have been educated up to at least Secondary School Certificate Level or its equivalent.
(vi) An Aspirant for Election for the Office of Council Chairman of a Local Government must have attained the age of thirty (30) years or above.
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(vii) An Aspirant for election to the Office of Councillorship must have attained the age of (25) years or above.
2. DISQUALIFICATION
An Aspirant to either the Office of Council Chairmanship or Councillorship of a Local Government shall be disqualified for any or a combination of the following reasons:
(i) If he/she is not resident in the Local Government Area Council or Ward, or is not an indigene of that LGA or Ward.
(ii) If he/she fails to produce tax clearance, or evidence of having paid tax or exemption from payment of tax as at when due for the last three preceding years.
(iii) If he/she has been dismissed from the Public Service of the Federation or of the State or Local Government Council .
(iv) If he/she has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of any offence involving dishonesty.
OR
Any offence involving narcotic drugs or advance fee fraud, or any other narcotic substance by any court or tribunal in Nigeria, or within the Common Wealth or elsewhere
OR
If he/she has been adjudged guilty of Treason or Treasonable Felony, by any court or tribunal or court-marital.
(v) If he/she has been convicted for embezzlement of public funds, or for bribery, or fraud, or by reason of dishonesty by either or all of the following:
(I) A Judicial Commission for Enquiry (for which a white paper was issued).
(II) An Administrative enquiry (for which a copy of the said enquiry was served to him, or howsoever the result was brought to his notice, provided that:
(i) it shall be the responsibility of the aspirant to show that no white paper, or that result of an enquiry was brought to his attention or notice).
(ii) A Tribunal or any lawful authority e.g. Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), EFCC etc.
(iii) If he/she has been adjudged by a superior court of law to be a lunatic or of unsound mind or bankrupt under the Bankruptcy Law.
(iv) If he/she is identified to belong to any Secret Cult.
(v) If he/she has not properly resigned his/her position as stipulated herein.
3. NOMINATION PROCEDURES:
His Excellency, the People’s First Governor, Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu has graciously subsidized the cost of form by Ninety percent [90%] in CROSIEC and as such Action People’s Party therefore subsidized Expression of Interest Form upon payment of the prescribed sum of One Hundred And Fifty Thousand Naira [N150,000.00] only for Chairmanship and Twenty Thousand Naira [N20,000.00] only for Councillorship from the State Secretariat of the Party. Only screened and acceptable aspirants as recommended by the Screening Committee and approved by State Working Committee after their final nomination at the State caucus will be allowed to pay and obtain Nomination Form.
Nomination Form shall be issued after the State Working Committee meeting for a fee of two hundred and fifty thousand naira (#250,000.00) for Councilorship and One Million Five Hundred thousand naira (#1,500,000.00) for Chairmanship on the 13th of October.
All Female Aspirants and physically challenged aspirants who emerged after the State Working Committee meeting on the 13th of October shall pay only twenty five percent [25%] of the cost of Nomination form.
Aspirants must supply all the information requested in the Expression of Interest Forms truthfully and honestly.
Any Aspirant who gives false information or makes false declaration in the Expression of Interest Form specified above shall be disqualified.
Aspirants shall be bound by the decisions of the State Caucus.
Nomination of candidates for councillorship shall be by consensus.
Provided that where a candidate has emerged by consensus for an elective position, a vote of “Yes” or “No” shall be called (affirmation)
Nomination of candidates for Local Government Council Chairman shall be by consensus.
Provided that where a candidate has emerged by consensus for an elective position, a vote of “Yes” or “No” shall be called (affirmation)
SCREENING OF ASPIRANTS FOR THE PRIMARIES
There shall be, for the purpose of the primaries, Local Government Screening Committee, for the screening of Councillorship aspirants and a Senatorial District Screening Committee, for the screening of Chairmanship aspirants, whose duties shall be to screen aspirants for Councillorship and Chairmanship Elections.
The Screening Committee shall consist of a Chairman and two members appointed by the State Executive Committee of the Party.
The result of the screening exercise shall be communicated to the aspirants within 48 (forty-eight) hours of its determination, or immediately thereafter.
ORDER OF ELECTIONS:
The order of elections shall be as follows:
i Primary Election to the Office of Councilor
ii. Primary Election to the Office of Chairman
VENUE:
The venue for the Primary Election shall be the Office of the APP at the Local Government and Ward Levels, or
Any other suitable venue as may be approved in writing by the Electoral Committee
Any official change of venue shall be made public by means of written publication and/or announcement in the electronic media not later than 24 hours to the commencement of the primaries.
Engr. Effiom Edet Okon
State Party Chairman
APP CRS Chapter
Comr. Christian Oyama
State Secretary
APP CRS Chapter
Utande Christabel
State Publicity Secretary
APP CRS Chapter
