Chairman, YIAGA Africa, Watching The Vote (WTV) Group, Dr Hussani Abdu (left); Executive Director, YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo and Project Director, YIAGA Africa WTV, Cynthia Mbamalu during a news conference on the 2019 Governorship and State Assembly Supplementary Elections, at YIAGA Africa WTV Situation Room in Abuja…yesterday
YIAGA Africa Watching the vote Chairman, Hussaini Abdu, in a conference in Abuja said the group is concerned with the manner some judges have granted applications to election matters without recourse to judicial precedent and extant laws.
Following the March 9 elections, political parties have resorted to procuring court injunctions to restrain the electoral umpire from concluding elections in states like Adamawa and Bauchi.
“Justice Abdulaziz Waziri of the Adamawa state high court issued an injunction restraining INEC from conducting rerun elections in Adamawa following an application by the Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), a political party that never presented a candidate in the main election. In addition, is the order issued by Justice Inyang Ekwo of Federal High Court in Abuja restraining INEC from continuing with the collation of results in Bauchi state based on an ex parte motion initiated by the APC and its candidate, Mohammed Abubakar. These casts doubt on the integrity and transparency of the judiciary to uphold electoral justice”
Audu further alleged inducement of voters by politicians using gift items and cash in locations considered to be swing wards and polling units. According to him, the highest bidder will determine the supplementary elections.
