PPA & NCP sues INEC for adjusting timetable of the Local Government Chairmanship Elections Opposition parties in Cross River State have sued the state Independent Electoral Commission(CROSIEC) for adjusting the timetable for the September 21 local government elections in the state contrary to the provision of the Electoral Act and the state local government election law. Two parties, the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and the National Conscience Party (NCP), which took CROSIEC to court in suit number HC/233/2013, alleged that by adjusting the election timetable, the electoral commission had lost its credibility and might not be able to conduct free and fair elections. The plaintiffs are therefore seeking a declaration that the time fixed by the defendant requiring political parties to fill and submit CROSIEC forms, LGE001A and LGE002, expired on June 17, and another declaration that only the claimants out of all the parties contesting the election filled and delivered the two forms. They also want the court to declare that the sale of nomination forms to candidates of political parties in the race ended on June 21, and that they bought nomination forms for their candidates in Obanliku, Obudu and Yakurr Local Government Areas within the time allowed by law. The two parties are seeking a further declaration that: ‘’Any further sale of nomination papers to any other political party for the purpose of contesting the forthcoming local government election this year in the state in Obanliku, Obudu and Yakurr chairmanship constituencies after June 21 is null and void. “Furthermore, the issuance of form LGE001A and LGE002 to any political party by the defendant after June 17 as a condition precedent to sponsor chairmanship candidates for the local government elections in Obanliku, Obudu and Yakurr is invalid, null and void.’’ According to the parties, the court is being pressured to make an order of injunction restraining the defendants by itself, servants, agents, officers, privies and any person acting through them from issuing CROSIEC forms LGE001A and LGE002 or any similar form to any political party after June 17, and also, an order directing the defendant not to accord recognition to any person who bought a nomination form from it out of time. The deponents in their affidavit attached to the summons claimed that no other political party to their knowledge complied with the CROSIEC law section 21, 22, 23 and “the regulations made there as it relate to the eligibility of candidates for local government chairmanship elections in Obanliku, Obudu and Yakurr.” The two parties said they were seeking the relief against the defendant because if not restrained by an order of the court, the defendant would continue to sell nomination to other political parties or accord recognition to forms already sold by it to enable such parties field candidates for the purpose of contesting the elections in Obanliku, Obudu and Yakurr. The claimants argued that the defendant had no reason adjusting the timetable it fixed for the exercise stressing that the provisions of the law under which the timetable was made were absolute and must be complied with. The case will soon come up for hearing.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 20:37:02 +0000
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