The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said yesterday that it won’t exchange words with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over issues that are already in court.
INEC National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr Festus Okoye, in a statement, said the Commission is a law-abiding institution and will not argue or canvass in the media, positions that are subjudice. The PDP has accused INEC of failing to grant its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, access to electoral materials.
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But Okoy said “INEC is aware that there are petitions pending before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal. The Commission is also aware that issues have been joined in the said petitions as the petitioners have filed their petitions and the respondents have responded to the petitions,” Okoye said while denying accusations from the PDP that the commission did not grant them access to election materials.
“The Commission as one of the respondents in the Petition filed by the PDP and its Presidential Candidate has responded to the said Petition.”
“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 subjudice and where the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal is firmly seized of the issues,” the statement said.
According to INEC, 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 court,” .
