ANPP threatens to drag INEC to court

Posted by admin Elections 2011, INEC Politics, Latest Politics Sunday, April 3rd, 2011

SHOCKED by the postponement of the National Assembly election, the All Nigeria Peoples Party has threatened to institute a legal process against the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The ANPP said, in an exclusive interview with THE PUNCH in Port Harcourt on Sunday, that it was consulting with its lawyers with a view to dragging the election umpire to court for negligence of duty.

The National Vice Chairman of the party, South-South Zone, Chief Asukewe Iko-Awaji, explained that INEC invited the leaders of different political parties to supervise how election materials were being distributed to their destinations two days before the National Assembly election.

Iko-Awaji expressed surprise that the same election suffered a setback as a result of inadequate materials, adding that the development left most voters disappointed.

He argued that INEC shouldn’t have assured voters and political parties to be ready for the NASS election when it knew that it was not prepared for the task.

He said, “We (ANPP) will sue the Independent National Electoral Commission for negligence of duty. If we keep quiet, Nigerians will suffer for it. When you (INEC) know you are not ready, why did you tell voters to come out?

“Two days to the election Prof. (Attahiru) Jega asked political parties to come and witness the distribution of election materials. But nothing meaningful happened on Saturday.

“The best we can do at this point is to take INEC to court for negligence of duty. Negligence of duty is punishable under the law.”

Explaining that the postponement of the election has affected the opposition parties, Iko-Awaji said the ruling party was in control of state resources and could muster more funds for the postponed elections.

He noted that the opposition parties had already made their budget and had no fund at their disposal for the postponed elections.

-Punchwp_posts