The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it will not engage the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in an argument on petitions before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal because they are sub-judice.
The National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Mr. Festus Okoye, said this in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday.
Okoye was responding to PDP’s allegation that INEC refused to release election materials used for the conduct of the Feb. 23, presidential poll to it as ordered by the presidential election petitions tribunal.
He said the Commission was aware that there were petitions pending before the tribunal where the petitioners had filed their cases and the respondents had responded to the petitions.
Okoye said that as one of the respondents in the petition filed by the PDP and its presidential candidate, the C
“The Commission is aware that very senior lawyers are representing the petitioners and the respondents in relation to the said petitions.
“The Commission is a Law-abiding institution and will not argue or canvass in the media, petitions that are sub-judice, and where the presidential election petitions tribunal is firmly seized of the issues.
“The lawyers representing the petitioners are seized of the state of the law and the course to take if they truly believe that the commission is in disobedience of the orders of the presidential election petitions tribunal.
“The Commission is a Law-abiding institution and will continue to accord the requisite respect to judicial institutions and obey the orders of courts,’’ he stated.
PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, had on Monday, accused INEC of refusing the party access to election materials used for the February 23 presidential poll as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
