Ajeromi-Ifelodun: INEC denies disobeying court order on supplementary poll

Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed insinuations that it is planning to disobey court order over the proposed supplementary election in Ajeromi Ifelodun federal constituency, Lagos State.

The speculation was fuelled by the report that the commission had commenced arrangements to conduct the poll with a stakeholder meeting on Wednesday.

The commission had declared the February 23 National Assembly election inconclusive in the constituency without fixing any date for the poll.

In a suit instituted by Rita Orji, incumbent lawmaker and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Justice Bello Kawu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered INEC to declare the result of the February 23, 2019, National Assembly election for Ajeromi Ifelodun federal constituency.

The defendants/respondents in the suit were INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Lagos State and the All Progressives Congress, (APC). Others were Kolawole Taiwo, Adeshola Taiwo and Ulocha Nnabugwu Oscar.

However, in what looked like disobedient to a court order, a statement signed by Femi Akinbiyi, Director and Head of Voter’s Education, INEC, Lagos State,  said the event would hold at 11:00 am, emphasising: “The venue is the INEC office in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government.”

The spokesman further read that no date has been fixed for the poll; he, however, expressed the commission’s readiness to conclude the election in a peaceful atmosphere, with the cooperation of the stakeholders.

The statement further revealed that the supplementary election would be conducted in 71 polling units across eight wards of Ajeromi Ifelodun with 8, 984 registered voters.”

However, reacting to the development in a telephone chat, Akinbiyi, however, said that the meeting was not meant to disregard the order of Justice Bello Kawu, but to update all stakeholders.

“The essence of the meeting is to discuss all issues. We aren’t saying we aren’t complying with the order of the court. Why not wait till Wednesday for the outcome of the meeting? Please, don’t be pre-emptive,” he said.