Follow Us on Google
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that there was no iota of truth in the report that the commission has withdrawn or abandoned the appeal process in the ongoing Kano governorship election petition litigation.
INEC further explained that though reports claimed that it would discontinue the case based on a letter written by the Legal Officer of its Kano State office, it has no intention to withdraw from the case.
In the statement signed by National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the commission emphasised that it is under obligation to respond accordingly where litigants join it in a case.
While stressing that it did not authorise such letter of intention to withdraw, the electoral umpire stated that the letter has since been withdrawn and the officer behind it reprimanded.
The statement read in part: “The attention of the commission has been drawn to media reports based on a letter written by the Legal Officer of our Kano State office indicating that the commission had withdrawn from the appeal process in the ongoing Kano governorship election petition case.
“We wish to state categorically that the letter was not authorised. It has since been withdrawn and the officer reprimanded.
“The public is, therefore, advised to discountenance the insinuation that the Commission has withdrawn from the case or even worse abandoned the appeal.
“We wish to state categorically that where litigants join INEC in a case, the commission is under obligation to respond accordingly.
We have therefore instructed our lawyers to proceed in line with extant policy of the commission. The policy has not changed,” INEC stated.
