The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has reacted to recent comments by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing the Commission of selective conduct of elections to fill vacant seats....Read Full Article >>➤
Fubara had recently said that the electoral umpire was being selective in implementing elections to fill vacancies arising from the defection of serving members of the National and State Assembly from one political party to another.
INEC, in a statement signed by Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, on Friday, noted that the governor failed to provide specific instances of the alleged selective action.
The governor had specifically accused the Commission of deliberate failure to fill the vacancies resulting from the protracted crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly where two factions are jostling for control.
In the midst of the crisis, about 27 lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC.
INEC noted that while it is aware of the situation in the Rivers State House of Assembly, “the matter is pending in court and, therefore, subjudice”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission has been joined in several suits filed by litigants at various courts, including the Supreme Court,” it added.
“Under the circumstances, the Commission must await the final judicial pronouncement on the matter before it embarks on a puerile exercise that may eventually amount to a nullity and a waste of public funds.
“We urge people occupying high public offices to be circumspect in their public statements before they mislead the public and cast aspersion on public institutions, particularly where they are aware of the pendancy of cases in court.”
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