Group urges EU to intervene on Anambra election
Thu Mar 31, 2016 03:55:pm Politics
3K By sosa hills
The Anambra State House of Representatives elect, under faction of the Supreme Court recognised Ejike Oguebego leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), yesterday took their case to the European Union (EU), where they called on the body to intervene in their matter by calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to obey the Supreme Court ruling that recognised their faction and issue them with Certificate of Return to the national assembly.
The eight members who operated under the aegis of Committee of Anambra State PDP House of Representatives Members Elect, during a peaceful protest at the European Union Office in Abuja, called on the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to comply with the decision of the Supreme Court or step aside as the chairman of the commission for incompetence.
In a statement submitted at the EU commission office in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, on Wednesday, the group stated that the INEC has for more than sixty days after the Supreme Court judgment on the out come of the election, refused to obey the court order.
"Our appeal to the Supreme Court was decided on 29th January and the appeal succeeded, setting aside the decision of the Court of Appeal and upholding the judgment of the Federal High Court. We wrote INEC requesting them to comply with the decision of the court that upheld the earlier judgment of the federal high court which brought our names in as the duly elected candidates for the election, "
The members who submitted their petition to the EU regretted that the commission has refused to comply with the Supreme Court ruling since January 29, which basically restored them as members of House of Representatives and Senate, noting that INEC has not helped to obey the rule of law in the country.
The committee complained that INEC have shown a serious case of bias by asking the court for an interpretation of the judgment, which according to them, was also struck out by the Supreme Court.
Explaining the reason for the protest in the European Union premises, Hon Anthony Offiah of Aguata federal constituency, stated that European Union is a critical stakeholder in the quest for pure democracy in Nigeria.
According to him, "We have come to carry them along in our struggle. The judgment of the supreme court of January 29, which INEC, an institution the European Union supports financially and otherwise, have refused to toe the line of democracy. We have come to implore them to wade into the issue and advise them accordingly. It is in line with our peaceful protest. We are talking to stakeholders who can pressurise INEC to do the right things.
The eight members who operated under the aegis of Committee of Anambra State PDP House of Representatives Members Elect, during a peaceful protest at the European Union Office in Abuja, called on the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to comply with the decision of the Supreme Court or step aside as the chairman of the commission for incompetence.
In a statement submitted at the EU commission office in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, on Wednesday, the group stated that the INEC has for more than sixty days after the Supreme Court judgment on the out come of the election, refused to obey the court order.
"Our appeal to the Supreme Court was decided on 29th January and the appeal succeeded, setting aside the decision of the Court of Appeal and upholding the judgment of the Federal High Court. We wrote INEC requesting them to comply with the decision of the court that upheld the earlier judgment of the federal high court which brought our names in as the duly elected candidates for the election, "
The members who submitted their petition to the EU regretted that the commission has refused to comply with the Supreme Court ruling since January 29, which basically restored them as members of House of Representatives and Senate, noting that INEC has not helped to obey the rule of law in the country.
The committee complained that INEC have shown a serious case of bias by asking the court for an interpretation of the judgment, which according to them, was also struck out by the Supreme Court.
Explaining the reason for the protest in the European Union premises, Hon Anthony Offiah of Aguata federal constituency, stated that European Union is a critical stakeholder in the quest for pure democracy in Nigeria.
According to him, "We have come to carry them along in our struggle. The judgment of the supreme court of January 29, which INEC, an institution the European Union supports financially and otherwise, have refused to toe the line of democracy. We have come to implore them to wade into the issue and advise them accordingly. It is in line with our peaceful protest. We are talking to stakeholders who can pressurise INEC to do the right things.
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