Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Judith Adyaka Nalibe who withdrew from the Kaabong Women representative Parliamentary race has threatened to sue the Electoral Commission (EC) if they go ahead and print her names and photo on ballot paper.
Adyaka who was the FDC flag bearer on September, 9 wrote to EC informing them that she had withdrawn from the race.
The letter reads “I was duly nominated by your office on the 28th of August 2019 to contest for the position of the District Woman Member of Parliament for Kaabong district. This notice is hereby made to unequivocally withdraw my candidature from the race and I don’t wish to contest in the aforementioned position and that my name should be struck off the list/news of nominated candidates to contest for the position of Kaabong district woman Member of Parliament.”
She added that her party denied her financial help which they had promised because she is a close friend to People Power leader Robert Kyagulanyi.
Upon receiving her letter, EC wrote back saying that her withdrawal was incomplete because her party did not endorse it.
This followed FDC’s statement on Monday made by their spokesman Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda who accused her of being bribed by President Yoweri Museveni to withdraw.
“We are investigating reports that President Museveni bribed our candidate with Shs1.2b to withdraw from the race so we reject her withdrawal and in case EC accepts her we shall sue them,” said Ssemujju on Monday this week.
In addition to that, even FDC Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi also wrote to EC asking them not to withdrawal her from the race.
While appearing before the Parliamentary committee on legal Affairs, EC boss Justice Simon Byabakama said that the decision lies on the decision by the party, not an individual since she was registered on FDC ticket.
“According to the Parliamentary Election act, section 19(2) candidates can only withdraw their candidature if their withdrawal latter is endorsed by Secretary-General of the sponsoring party. So we are in a predicament where a candidate wants to get out but we can’t allow her because her party has refused,” said Byabakama on Thursday.
However, Adyaka has said that she is out of the competition and her name is not supposed to be on the ballot paper or else she will sue them.
But EC has insisted that they are acting within the frames of the laws and come next week on Thursday September 26, 2019, elections will take place if they receive no official communication from FDC.
As of now NRM candidate Christine Tubo Nakwang might be announced unopposed in case Adyaka’s request is granted.
The contested seat fell vacant after Lily Akello who their representative crossed to the newly created district Karenga.
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