The Independent National Electoral Commission has stated that the body awaits the decision of the court on the candidacy of the All Progressive Congress for the Bayelsa State governorship election.
This was stated by the Chief Press Secretary, INEC, Rotimi Oyekanmi, when he was featured on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme, on Friday.
According to him, the electoral body can’t make such decisions until a court order is given.
When asked whether the APC has a governorship candidate in the state, Oyekanmi said, “This is the situation – when there are legal cases, you have to wait until the end of the legal issues.
“Because things can happen within a few days or a few weeks. If you have something today and the person is appealing to a higher court, you have to wait until the higher court takes a decision.”
He added, “What I am saying is that, when the final decision on that particular matter is taken, the commission will come out to say, ‘This is exactly what the situation is’. But please, let’s take it easy, and let’s wait till the commission takes that decision.”
The INEC CPS said the commission respects court orders, noting that, “When a court order comes and says we should drop a particular name and accept another, we do so. And then in the remarks column, we now say ‘by court order’.”
Recall that in September, a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of the APC governorship candidate, Timipre Sylvia.
