Why I didn’t sign ‘withdrawal letter’ in APC forms – Ex-AGF Aondoakaa

A Benue State governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress, Michael Aondoakaa, has disclosed that he did not sign the ‘Voluntary Letter of Withdrawal’ attached to the expression of interest and nomination forms before he submitted.

The former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under late President Umaru Yar’Adua revealed this on Thursday while fielding questions at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

Aondoakaa said that he left the letter of withdrawal unsigned after he sought clarification and considered its implication.

“Unfortunately, I did not sign and I sought clearance. The implication is two-way traffic. If you sign that agreement now and you win the election and the opponent comes to know that you signed the agreement, I can bet you, that your election will be invalidated.

“If you sign an agreement, you have withdrawn from the race. Assuming you win the election, you participate in the general election, the opposition party will file an action that you did not partake in the election. When that form is subpoenaed, you have withdrawn from the election. So you cannot be part of it.

“I think what the leadership of the party intended is to have that withdrawal in the case, at the time, of primaries people want to withdraw in compliance with the Electoral Act, they just fill in there and a Commissioner for Oaths will endorse it. It cannot be intended that you withdraw before you participate, it looks absurd because if you win the election, the election will be invalid,” he said.