The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said it has not granted an automatic ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is been rumoured to be planning to defect to the party ahead of 2023 general elections.
It also said that waiver granted new defectors does not exclude them from undergoing nomination processes of contesting for positions in the party and as its flag bearers in general elections.
APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, made these declarations in a statement in Abuja on Friday.
He said defection into the party by any person does not confer the status of an automatic candidate of the party on such individual.
Akpanudoedehe, who was reacting to a misrepresentation of his views on the waiver granted new entrants and defectors by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) at its December 8, 2020 meeting in a television programme, said all party members, irrespective of the status of the person must go through the party’s nomination process as outlined in it’s the constitution.
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He maintained that the waiver by NEC was not restricted to anyone.
According to the Secretary: “The waiver is not specific to anyone as being misconstrued and misrepresented in some sections.
“Coming into the party gives no one special status of being an automatic party candidate in any election. All aspirants must undergo the nomination processes outlined by the APC constitution.”
Akpanudoedehe recalled that the party’s NEC resolved and granted waivers to persons who have recently joined the party and those desirous of joining the party in the nearest future to contest for positions in the APC and as party flag bearers in general elections.
He explained that by the NEC resolution, “new members will enjoy all the benefits and privileges accruable by the APC” but not the status of automatic candidate of the party.”
According to him: “For the records, in my recent television interview reaction to the rumoured plans by former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the APC, my statement was that NEC resolution was a blanket waiver to ALL new APC entrants, including the interviewee.
“The waiver is not specific to anyone as being misconstrued and misrepresented in some sections. Coming into the party gives no one special status of being an automatic party candidate in any election. All aspirants must undergo the nomination processes outlined by the APC constitution.
“Excerpts of APC NEC 8th December 2020 resolution reads: “…new members will enjoy all the benefits and privileges accruable by virtue of their membership of the party. So, they will be able to contest for positions in the party. They will be able to contest elections without any requirement of being members for several years or period.”