Despite a high court ruling declaring a former interim chairman of the Accord Party in Rivers State, Mr. Precious Barido as the candidate for the nextweek Saturday’s gubernatorial election, the national headquarters of the party has said that Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs remained their candidate.
According to the national headquarters, the party dully submitted the name of Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the election adding that the person recognised by the court was an impostor.
Speaking at a press conference, National chairman of Accord Party, Hon Muhammad Lawal Nalado said the statement issued by Barido that they have endorsed the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the governorship election coming up on 9th March, 2019 is not valid adding that they have a candidate.
“Without any fear of contradiction, we want to debunk this claim by Mr. Precious Barido. Mr. Precious Barido was never an aspirant in our Party at any time, so the party does know about his candidature at all,” Nalado said.
“Mr. Precious Barido did not pay for expression of interest as stipulated by the Party, neither participated in any process of Electing our Party’s Flag Bearer for the March 9th 2019 Gubernatorial Election in Rivers State.”
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“The Party never at any time submitted his name or particulars to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as our candidate. The party dully submitted the name of Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs as its candidate after the withdrawal of Amieye Nelson who won the Party’s Primaries conducted on the 4th of October 2018,” Nalado during the press conference.
He said the party affirmed that Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs remains their validly nominated candidate adding that Mr. Precious Barido is an impostor.
“Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs is the rightful candidate of our party having met all the necessary requirements of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest for 2019 Gubernatorial Eiection in Rivers state.”
“The Rivers State interim Executive under Mr. Precious Barido was dissolved and a new fuII-fledged Caretaker Executive Committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of Dr Nnana Onyekwere. Consequently, the general public is hereby advised to disregard and ignore any purported claim by Mr. Precious Barido as he is no longer the state chairman of our Party for Rivers State neither the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Rivers State,” Nalado said during the press conference.
“We therefore urge our members and the general public in Rivers State to go out enmass and vote for our candidate Chief (Barn) Dumo Luiu-Briggs on the 9th of March, 2019 as the only recognized candidate of our great Party Accord,” the national chairman added.
