There is palpable tension in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the continued push by the All Progressives Congress, APC, leadership to ensure participation of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and Godswill Akpabio, in the 2023 senatorial elections of Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West senatorial districts, respectively.
Contrary to what the leadership of INEC had told Nigerians that the commission is legally bound to stand by the monitoring reports received from “our state offices”, verified pieces of information available to Vanguard suggest that INEC may have ignored these reports in some states of the federation, including Kano, Sokoto, Abia, Ogun, Oyo and Akwa lbom.
This has not gone down well with some Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, according to Vanguard sources.
In fact, the morale of INEC staff at some of the state offices has been dampened because some of the reports of the monitoring committees are either being tampered with or ignored.
As a result of this, INEC has instigated and encouraged many litigations in various federal high courts across the country.
At the last count, the commission acknowledged that there are over 300 cases filed in court that it is joined as a party. That is not all.
The Election and Political Parties’ Monitoring, EPM, and Legal Department of the Commission, under the direction and control of INEC leadership, have become theatres of intrigues, as politicians are preying on both departments to perfect their underhand ploys.
As it is for APC, so it is for PDP.
INEC reacts
Also reacting yesterday, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, said: “The commission is not under obligation to publish the name of any candidate not validly elected in a properly organised primary election monitored by INEC. It’s in the Electoral Act 2022.”