Politics

We Will Occupy Your Offices Nationwide, LP Tells INEC

The Labour Party has threatened that it will call on its members to occupy offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission nationwide for allegedly frustrating its petition against the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.

The spokesman for the Presidential Campaign Council of the party, Dr Yunusa Tanko, in a statement obtained Saturday, accused INEC of disobeying the order of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal directing the electoral umpire to grant the party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, access to the certified true copies of materials used in the conduct of the poll.

“It will be recalled that the aforesaid order of the presidential election petition tribunal was duly served on INEC on March 3, 2023, despite the fact that they were present and represented at the tribunal when the Order was made.

Advertisement

“Not minding the service of the said order on INEC, and a reminder letter dated March 6, 2023, and delivered same date at the INEC Headquarters Abuja, the electoral umpire has continued to ignore and or disobey the valid Order of such magnitude till now,” Tanko said.

The PUNCH reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on March 3 granted the request of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his LP counterpart, Obi’s request to inspect the election materials used during February 25 presidential poll.

Advertisement

Atiku and Obi had approached the Presidential Election Court to seek permission for the inspection of election materials used during the poll.

The PUNCH also reports that Atiku and Obi refused to concede defeat in the February 25 presidential election, vowing to recover their mandate in court.

The two candidates rebuffed the gesture of conciliation made by the President-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, who in his acceptance speech after he was declared the winner of the poll asked them to support him in the task of building the nation.

Advertisement

Both the PDP and the LP rejected the election results over alleged rigging, and voter intimidation among other reasons.

Reacting further, Tanko said, “The action of INEC under reference also constitutes for all intent and purposes, an act of judicial insubordination and willful refusal to comply with the order of court.

Advertisement

“As we speak INEC has chosen to obey the court order given to it to reconfigure the BIVAS machine, which they doing right now and ignoring the order granted to us to inspect electoral materials.

“We, therefore, call on the general public to note the level of lawlessness and brazen disobedience to a lawful order of a court by an important statutory agency such as INEC, and which is a well-calculated attempt to undermine and frustrate the presentation of the petition by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate before the tribunal in good time.

Advertisement

“We, therefore, want to state that we will not fail to call our supporters to march to INEC offices nationwide in a non-violent protest which is allowed by law.”

Advertisement
citynews

Recent Posts

Senate Approves Tinubu’s $2.2bn Loan Request

The Senate on Thursday approved President Bola Tinubu’s loan request of $2.2 billion to partially…

13 hours ago

2023 Presidential Poll Not Rigged – Okupe To Peter Obi

A former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe has dismissed claims by Peter Obi of the Labour…

13 hours ago

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Reveals Speaks On What Simon Ekpa’s Arrest Means For Igbo Nation

Leading Igbo Socio-cultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has commended the arrest of self-acclaimed Biafra Prime Minister,…

13 hours ago

Car Dealer Surprises Davido With Brand New Escalade To Celebrate His Birthday

    A car dealer has gifted Nigerian singer Davido a new vehicle for his birthday.  …

20 hours ago

PDP Crisiss: Damagum Holds Closed-Door Meeting With State Chairmen

There is palpable tension in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the acting National Chairman…

20 hours ago

Reevaluate your economic policies….they have worsened lives of Nigerians – ACF tells President Tinubu

The Arewa Consultative Forum says the policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration has worsened…

20 hours ago