Federal High Court orders INEC to transmit guber election results electronically
The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to directly and electronically upload from the polling units to the IReV the results of the forthcoming, governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Lagos State.
Justice Peter Lifu made the order while delivering judgment on a suit filed by the Labour Party and 41 others, in which they sought an order of mandamus to compel INEC to obey the Electoral Act and its guidelines for the conduct of the elections.
The judge held that the court had the jurisdiction to entertain the suit because it was commenced in accordance with the provisions of the law.
He also held that the subject matter of the suit was not a pre-election issue because the reliefs sought by the applicants deal with preparation for elections and not the conduct of the elections.
Justice Lifu further stated that all that the applicants were trying to do was to compel the electoral body to comply with the Constitution, its regulations, and guidelines, following its failure to do so during the presidential and National Assembly elections held on February 25.
Therefore the court granted the applicants “an order of mandamus directing and compelling the defendant and all its agents and their privies or any persons acting under their directions to comply with and enforce the provision of Clause 37 of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022 for the conduct of the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State on 11 March 2023, to wit: Mandating the Presiding Officer of all Polling Units to paste the Publication of Result Poster EC60(E) at the Polling Units conspicuously after completing the EC8A result sheet.”
INEC Suspends Sokoto’s Resident Electoral Commissioner
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has suspended its resident electoral commissioner, REC, in Sokoto State, Nura Ali, with immediate effect.
The suspension was announced in a letter signed by INEC’s secretary, Rose Orlaran-Anthony, on Monday, March 6, 2023, addressed to both the resident electoral commissioner and the administrative secretary in the state.
According to the letter, Dr Nura Ali has been directed to stay away from the commission’s office in Sokoto State until further notice.
While the reason for the suspension was not explicitly stated, it was gathered that the decision might not be unconnected with the recent allegations of irregularities in the just-concluded election in the state.
Aliyu Kangiwa, the Administrative Secretary, has been instructed to take full charge of INEC in Sokoto State.
