Presidential aspirant and Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has reacted to the new guidelines released by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The guidelines stipulate that all government appointees who have the intention to contest in the party’s primary elections would have to first resign.
APC then urged the political appointees who aspire to contest to resign at least 30 days before the conduct of the primaries.
If the guidelines are adhered to, all political appointees who have presidential ambitions have 72 hours to resign or drop their aspirations.
Appointees who have governorship, National and State Assembly ambitions are expected to resign latest today, April 27 as the party has scheduled its primary for May 18 and 23.
In his reaction, Ngige said the party has not informed him of the new guidelines asking him and others who have ambitions to resign before the presidential primary election.
He made this known while responding to questions from State House correspondents on Wednesday.
According to the APC presidential aspirant, he is hearing about the party’s new guidelines for the first time and would be guided by the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
He added that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act enacted by the National Assembly has been struck down by a court of law and the case is on appeal.
He said, “Because I don’t know about that I’m hearing for the first time from you. But like I always say, I’ll be guided by the letters and spirit of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. You are pushing me into something that is not necessary to discuss, because that aspect of the law enacted by the National Assembly, via the Electoral Act, that section 84:12 have been struck down by a court of law and the cases on appeal.
“And for now, no matter how bad the judgement is, that’s the maximum jurisprudence no matter how bad law is a judgement of court, is it should be obeyed, until upturned or stayed. But there is no stay, there’s no atonement of that particular pronouncement, and the party is on appeal.
“So, the judgement is still subsisting, that aspect of the law was injurious to some persons and should not have been there. I also know that the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria in certain sections, section 107, 137 and 88, prescribes disqualification clauses for people who are going for election and that prescription is supreme, because it’s in the constitution and the constitution is grandnorm of all laws.”
The minister said he would contact the leadership of the party regarding the new guidelines before taking the step to resign or not.
Ngige added that there was no call on those in his cadre to resign because he is a public officer.
He said: “No, it’s not there. It’s not in the works at all. But I will make consultation with the party and find out.”