INEC Worries Over Alleged Court Action

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed sadness over a threat by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) to take it to court for the commission’s alleged late acceptance of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s name as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in next year’s governorship election in Anambra State.

Earlier in the day, the commission sought to pull the rug off the feet of the CNPP when one of its officials told the press on condition of anonymity that it did not set a 6.00pm Friday deadline for submission of candidate’s names in the polls. The official said the alleged deadline was a figment of the imagination of the CNPP as submission on a particular date would only close on the last minute of the day. He added: “who set up this deadline they are now making an issue about? In any case, the PDP was not the only party that came that late; other parties did. So, what is the big deal?

They set the deadline for themselves and are already abusing INEC for it. “But in a telephone interview., spokesman of the CNPP, Osita Okechukwu, stood by the coalition’s position on the matter, insisting that INEC set the 6.00pm time-line in a public advertisement placed by the commission.

His words: “The constitution states specifically that INEC is responsible for matters of election and when they placed the public notice in August, they set the deadline of 6.00pm. “There were speculations that the top hierarchy of INEC was angry that one of its departments actually placed the said advertisement without considering its full implications. It was gathered that INEC was seeking legal advice for its official response to the new challenge.

Edith Gibson Orubo