A statement issued in Lokoja yesterday by Governor Wada’s Chief Communications Manager, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, stated that the governor, having had more time to study the INEC’s decision, was left with no choice but to conclude that the commission embarked on a hatchet job.
Wada said in view of the death of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, he should be declared the winner of the inconclusive election being the only surviving candidate with the majority of lawful votes cast in the November 21 election.
He said the conclusion was reinforced by the fact that “Whatever votes Audu scored in the election died with him.” He added that the INEC simply overreached itself.
He wondered why a body established to be the custodian of the rule of law would ignore the law in arriving at the decision not to issue him a certificate of return.
The statement also faulted INEC’s argument that APC’s right to substitution was sustained by the Electoral Act, saying only the court, and not the electoral body could determine the course of action in the matter.
It said in arriving at a decision, INEC merely carried out the directives of the Attorney General of the Federation, pointing out that the AGF was not competent to issue directives to INEC to allow APC to substitute its candidate for the Kogi gubernatorial poll.
Shaibu said the PDP was hopeful that the court would issue an order restraining the APC from organizing or holding a fresh primary election for the purpose of any supplementary election having regard to the statutory time lines provided by enabling sections of the Electoral Act 2010 and the INEC timetable for Kogi governorship election.
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/inec-on-hatchet-job-in-kogi-wada/121887.html
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