BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
The Independent National Electoral Commission has been served with nine separate orders and motions from various courts on the defection of Governor Dave Umahi, his deputy and 16 members of the state House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The Commission stated that just as it was about to commence deliberation on some of the orders, its attention was drawn to additional court processes served on Thursday in respect of the matter.
INEC in a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said that it was briefed by its Litigation and Prosecution Department, showing that in the last three months, the Commission had been joined in 71 new cases in various courts across the country.
The statement further read that most of the cases involve either intra-party issues or litigants seeking for various reliefs from the courts, entailing consequential orders that are binding on the Commission.
It read, “The Independent National Electoral Commission met today, (Thursday), and deliberated on a wide range of issues, including the rising tide of litigations that do not directly involve the Commission, but in which the principal parties joined it.
“The Commission today listed this matter for deliberation. It involves court cases on the defection of the governor and deputy-governor of Ebonyi State and 16 members of the State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
“Consequently, the Commission decided to defer its deliberation on the Ebonyi cases and stepped down the listed memorandum to enable its Legal Services and Clearance Committee to study the new processes in the light of the previously served ones and advise the Commission comprehensively.
“The Commission will meet again next week to deliberate on the matter and, thereafter, make its decision public.”
