The Appeal Panel set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to handle complaints arising from the Rivers State House of Assembly primary screening has received 16 petitions from aggrieved aspirants who were disqualified from the process.
Among those who submitted petitions is former lawmaker Victor Oko-Jumbo, a loyalist of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and a former member of the State House of Assembly.
Speaking at the APC state secretariat, the Chairman of the Appeal Panel, Abdul Mahmud, disclosed that the panel received the screening report from the four-member committee chaired by Muraina Ajibola.
According to him, out of 98 aspirants screened, 33 were cleared to participate in the primary election, while 65 were disqualified.
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Mahmud explained that the appeal panel had already reviewed nine petitions, while additional complaints were still being received ahead of the deadline scheduled for Wednesday by 5 p.m.
“I was handed a full report of those cleared and those uncleared. The report has a list of 98 aspirants: 33 cleared and 65 uncleared. We have received 16 appeal petitions, and we have treated nine,” he said.
He noted that some petitioners failed to present the documents linked to the reasons for their disqualification during their appearances before the panel.
According to him, the panel relies heavily on documentary evidence rather than verbal explanations when considering appeals.
“Those who appeared before us did not present the documents upon which they were not cleared. But they said they had the documents, and I asked them to go and produce them. As an appeal committee, we speak more to documents than oral presentations. We need to see the documents and cite them,” Mahmud added.
