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APC House of Representatives Primary: Esther Danboyi Campaign Alleges Irregularities, Demands Fresh Elections in Affected Wards
The Divine Mandate for a Renewed Hope Campaign Organization of Hon. Esther Bitrus Danboyi has alleged widespread irregularities in the just-concluded APC House of Representatives primary election for Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, calling on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to investigate the exercise and order fresh elections in affected wards.
Addressing journalists during a press briefing, the Media Director of the campaign organization, Noro Stephen, said the campaign remained committed to democracy, justice, equity, fairness, and the rule of law, but expressed concern over what she described as disruptions and manipulations that marred the primary election process.
Stephen commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Plateau State Governor Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, party members, security agencies, and electoral officials for their roles in ensuring peace during the exercise despite challenges encountered.
She, however, alleged that reports from voters, ward officials, and evidence gathered from the field indicated that the election was characterized by widespread irregularities across several wards in Jos South and Jos East Local Government Areas.
According to her, elections in Jos South LGA were successfully concluded in only five wards including Gyel A, Gyel B, Zawan A, Kuru A, and Kuru B, while other wards reportedly experienced disruptions that allegedly compromised the credibility of the process.
She specifically mentioned Vwang, Turu, Giring, Zawan B, and Bukuru wards, where political thugs allegedly linked to supporters of another aspirant disrupted the process, snatched result sheets, intimidated voters and agents, and interfered with the collation of results.
The campaign organization further alleged that similar incidents occurred in Du District, particularly in Du and Shen wards, where voting was reportedly progressing peacefully before being disrupted.
In Jos East LGA, the campaign claimed that elections were concluded in only three out of the ten federal wards, while wards such as Shere East, Shere West, Federe, Jarawan Kogi, Maijuju Doss, Fobur A, and Fobur B allegedly failed to conduct credible elections due to disruptions and irregularities.
The group maintained that hundreds of party members were disenfranchised, adding that the outcome announced could not be said to reflect the genuine wishes of party members.
Among the concerns raised by the campaign organization were the alleged manipulation and snatching of result sheets, intimidation and harassment of voters, disruption of voting processes, disenfranchisement of party members, and violations of internal party democracy.
The campaign called on the APC National Working Committee to immediately investigate the reported irregularities, review ward reports and testimonies, sanction those responsible for disrupting the process, nullify results from affected wards, and conduct fresh and credible elections where voters were allegedly denied the opportunity to participate.
The organization stressed that its position was not driven by personal animosity but by a commitment to protecting democracy, justice, transparency, and accountability within the party.
“We remain peaceful, law-abiding, and committed to pursuing all constitutional and party mechanisms in seeking redress,” Stephen stated.
Also speaking, Director General of the Campaign Council, Hon. Daniel Kinbeng Mancha, alleged that Hon. Esther Bitrus Danboyi won the primary election conducted on Saturday, May 16, but claimed the process was manipulated in favour of another candidate.
Mancha said the campaign monitored results from across the constituency and believed the outcome did not reflect the actual votes cast. He disclosed that the campaign had already submitted a petition to the APC Appeal Committee and expressed confidence in getting a fair hearing.
The campaign organization called on the APC leadership to act swiftly and impartially in resolving the matter, insisting that justice, fairness, transparency, and accountability must prevail in the interest of democracy and party unity.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended a Phase III trial of an Ebola vaccine to test whether it can protect against Bundibugyo virus disease.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed this in a video posted on his official X account on Thursday.
Ghebreyesus said two vaccines specifically developed against the Bundibugyo virus had entered Phase I safety trials in humans. At the same time, new animal studies had shown promising evidence that Ervebo, an Ebola vaccine, could also provide cross-protection against the virus.
He said the findings prompted WHO to recommend Ervebo for inclusion in a Phase III trial, which the organisation hopes to begin as soon as possible.
However, it is not yet known whether Ervebo can protect humans against Bundibugyo virus disease.
Mr Ghebreyesus said the Phase III trial would help establish whether the vaccine is safe and effective and could provide evidence needed to make it available for the current outbreak and future outbreaks.
No licensed vaccines
The development comes as the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the DRC has become the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record.
As of Thursday, the country had recorded 4,449 confirmed cases and 2,061 deaths across five provinces and 53 health zones, according to the WHO.
The health agency said the outbreak was spreading faster than any previous Ebola outbreak at the same stage and could surpass the 2014–2016 West African outbreak, which remains the largest on record, with more than 28,000 cases and 11,000 deaths reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Bundibugyo virus is one of the viruses in the Ebola family that can cause severe and often fatal disease in humans.
Unlike Ebola virus disease caused by the Ebola virus, there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for the prevention of Bundibugyo virus disease.
WHO said in June that Ervebo, the only licensed and WHO-prequalified Ebola vaccine, is approved for Ebola virus disease but not for Bundibugyo virus disease.
The current outbreak was first detected in the DRC in May, following an unexplained cluster of deaths in Ituri Province that was investigated. Laboratory testing confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease, prompting the DRC government to declare its 17th Ebola outbreak.
Uganda also confirmed imported cases linked to the outbreak in the DRC. WHO subsequently determined that the outbreak in the two countries constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Previous Bundibugyo virus outbreaks have had case fatality rates between 30 and 50 per cent, according to the WHO.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on 9 August that WHO had already recommended Ervebo for evaluation in a randomised clinical trial after reviewing evidence suggesting that it could provide some protection against Bundibugyo virus.
Treatment advancement
Mr Ghebreyesus also disclosed progress in research into treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease.
He said a WHO-sponsored partners trial had reached 100 patients.
The trial is assessing potential treatments for the disease and is intended to generate evidence on which therapies can improve outcomes for infected patients.
READ ALSO: DRC Ebola outbreak becomes second-largest on record WHO
Mr Ghebreyesus said the milestone showed that research could be mobilised rapidly and responsibly even during a difficult outbreak.
He called on partners to support and accelerate the vaccine trial, while emphasising that the response requires collaboration among the DRC government, WHO, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners.
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