Uwajumogu can’t stampede us to issue him certificate of return – INEC
Tunde Opalana, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned the senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Imo North in the last general election, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu, not to arm-twist the commission into issuing him a certificate of return.
The commission reacted to Uwajumogu’s protest to the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, demanding a certificate of return based on an order by an Abuja Federal High Court.
The Commission in a statement on Tuesday by its National Commissioner in-charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, said though it has been served with court judgment on July 16, it has not taken a decision.
“The said judgement could not undergo the regular processes and procedures of the commission and must wait for the next commission’s meeting.
“The commission will not be stampeded into taking precipitate action or decision that may be detrimental to the electoral process and procedures,” Okoye stated.
Okoye said as at July 22nd, the commission has withdrawn and re-issued 87 certificates of return to different candidates based on court orders.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission is a commission of the Nigerian people and not that of any political tendency.
“Our commitment is to the rule of law and the enthronement of clean electoral process and in discharging this duty, the commission will not waver, be blackmailed or intimidated.
“The commission is therefore interested in obeying the courts and this has nothing to do with the political affiliation of the candidates or the aggrieved parties,” Okoye assured.
According to him, INEC does not make a distinction between orders made in its favour and orders made against it, adding that the commission was interested in the rule of law and due process.
He disclosed that all court orders were subjected to the processes and procedures of the commission, stating that this was “to prevent giving effect to fraudulent court orders or giving wrong interpretation to orders of court.
“We have instances where the commission declared as unenforceable court orders that required it to issue certificates of return in respect of constituencies and senatorial districts not known to the law and the constitution,” he added.
