Federal High Court,
Abuja, has summoned the
Independent National
Electoral Commission
(INEC) to explain today
why it should not stop
tomorrow’s governorship
election in Bayelsa State.
Justice Donatus Okorowo
granted the order,
following an exparte
application argued by
African Renaissance
Party (ARP) counsel
Kayode Ajulo.
Granting another exparte
motion in a separate suit,
the Judge ordered INEC
to include Hon. Dumbo
Hink of the African
Liberation Party (ALP) on
its list of candidates for
the election.The application was
argued by Henry
Akunebu on behalf of the
ALP, Hink and his running
mate, Mr. Adigio
Inangaebite.
Chief Kenneth Gbaliga
Gbalikuma of the ARP
urged the Judge to stop
the election, on the
allegation that INEC
violated some provisions
of the Electoral Act 2010.
He claimed that INEC gave
12 days notice to political
parties for the election,
instead of the mandatory
90 days as contained in
Section 30 of the
Electoral Act.
He said conducting the
election will amount to a
breach of the Electoral
Act.
Ruling, Justice Okorowo
asked INEC to appear
before him today to show
why the election should
not be stopped.
In the case of the ALP,
the court held that it
would be unfair for the
commission to exclude its
candidates. He ordered
INEC to allow the Plaintiffs
to participate in the poll.
In an affidavit, the ALP
National Chairman, Osita
Okereke, accused INEC of
refusing to accept its new
candidate after the
withdrawal of Hon.
Stephen Adika from the
race.
He said: “The Plaintiffs
will suffer more hardship
than the Defendant, if the
application is not granted
and the substantive claim
turns out to be
successful as the
Plaintiffs’ right to be
voted in the February
11, 2012 will be
permanently deprived
and their teeming
supporters will be
disenfranchised from
voting for their preferred
candidate to their
prejudice.
“That the second and
third plaintiffs have
incurred incalculable
electioneering expense
and their candidacy is for
public service which if
deprived cannot be
compensated in monetary
terms.
The ARP candidate, in his
motion, urged the court
to order that the status-
quo be maintained,
pending when INEC would
comply with all laws and
guidelines on the
election.
The plaintiff claimed that
INEC would engage in
illegality, if allowed to go
ahead with the election
without giving the
mandatory 90 days
notice.
He told the court that the
planned February 11
election is null and void
because it is inconsistent
with Section 30 of the
Electoral Act, which
stipulates the mandatory
90 days notice.
He is asking for an Order
of Interim injunction
restraining the
Defendants their officers,
servants and/or privies
whomsoever and
howsoever from
conducting election into
the vacant office of the
governor of Bayelsa
State slated for 11th day
of February, 2012
pending the hearing and
determination of the
Motion on Notice dated
7th of the February,
2012.
- AN ORDER of the court
directing all parties to
this suit to maintain
status quo on any matter
arising from the conduct
of the election into the
vacant office of the
Governor of Bayelsa
State slated for 11th day
of February, 2012
pending the hearing and
determination of the
Motion on Notice dated
7th of the February,
2012.
- AND for such other
orders as the Honourable
Court may deem fit to
make in furtherance of
the above prayers and in
the urgent circumstances
of this case.
National Chairman of the
All Nigeria Peoples Party
(ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya
Onu, yesterday
requested the
Independent National
Electoral Commission
(INEC) to postpone
tomorrow’s governorship
election in Bayelsa State.
While commending the
court for ordering INEC to
include the name of ANPP
candidate Ebiliot Alamene
in the ballot, Onu said the
postponement is
necessary to enable the
party and the candidate
prepare for the election.
Onu spoke in Abuja at
the party’s National
Executive Committee
(NEC) meeting. He said:
“We commend the court
for ordering INEC to
include the name of our
candidate in the Bayelsa
governorship race. But I
will appreciate it if INEC
can shift the election to
enable us prepare to
avoid rushing in to the
election.
“Things should be done
right and at the
appropriate time. The
party wants peace and
only with peace can the
country move forward.
Election for ANPP is not a
do or die affair.”
Ahead of the elections,
the Director-General of
the National Orientation
Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri,
has urged voters to
embrace peace and
orderliness.
Speaking in a message to
the people of Bayelsa
State through the State
Directorate of the NOA,
Omeri said sufficient
voter education has been
carried out by the NOA to
enable the electorate
vote right and shun
violence.
Calling on youth to use
the opportunity to vote
for their future, Omeri
urged them to reject
thuggery and money for
vote.
Abuja, has summoned the
Independent National
Electoral Commission
(INEC) to explain today
why it should not stop
tomorrow’s governorship
election in Bayelsa State.
Justice Donatus Okorowo
granted the order,
following an exparte
application argued by
African Renaissance
Party (ARP) counsel
Kayode Ajulo.
Granting another exparte
motion in a separate suit,
the Judge ordered INEC
to include Hon. Dumbo
Hink of the African
Liberation Party (ALP) on
its list of candidates for
the election.The application was
argued by Henry
Akunebu on behalf of the
ALP, Hink and his running
mate, Mr. Adigio
Inangaebite.
Chief Kenneth Gbaliga
Gbalikuma of the ARP
urged the Judge to stop
the election, on the
allegation that INEC
violated some provisions
of the Electoral Act 2010.
He claimed that INEC gave
12 days notice to political
parties for the election,
instead of the mandatory
90 days as contained in
Section 30 of the
Electoral Act.
He said conducting the
election will amount to a
breach of the Electoral
Act.
Ruling, Justice Okorowo
asked INEC to appear
before him today to show
why the election should
not be stopped.
In the case of the ALP,
the court held that it
would be unfair for the
commission to exclude its
candidates. He ordered
INEC to allow the Plaintiffs
to participate in the poll.
In an affidavit, the ALP
National Chairman, Osita
Okereke, accused INEC of
refusing to accept its new
candidate after the
withdrawal of Hon.
Stephen Adika from the
race.
He said: “The Plaintiffs
will suffer more hardship
than the Defendant, if the
application is not granted
and the substantive claim
turns out to be
successful as the
Plaintiffs’ right to be
voted in the February
11, 2012 will be
permanently deprived
and their teeming
supporters will be
disenfranchised from
voting for their preferred
candidate to their
prejudice.
“That the second and
third plaintiffs have
incurred incalculable
electioneering expense
and their candidacy is for
public service which if
deprived cannot be
compensated in monetary
terms.
The ARP candidate, in his
motion, urged the court
to order that the status-
quo be maintained,
pending when INEC would
comply with all laws and
guidelines on the
election.
The plaintiff claimed that
INEC would engage in
illegality, if allowed to go
ahead with the election
without giving the
mandatory 90 days
notice.
He told the court that the
planned February 11
election is null and void
because it is inconsistent
with Section 30 of the
Electoral Act, which
stipulates the mandatory
90 days notice.
He is asking for an Order
of Interim injunction
restraining the
Defendants their officers,
servants and/or privies
whomsoever and
howsoever from
conducting election into
the vacant office of the
governor of Bayelsa
State slated for 11th day
of February, 2012
pending the hearing and
determination of the
Motion on Notice dated
7th of the February,
2012.
- AN ORDER of the court
directing all parties to
this suit to maintain
status quo on any matter
arising from the conduct
of the election into the
vacant office of the
Governor of Bayelsa
State slated for 11th day
of February, 2012
pending the hearing and
determination of the
Motion on Notice dated
7th of the February,
2012.
- AND for such other
orders as the Honourable
Court may deem fit to
make in furtherance of
the above prayers and in
the urgent circumstances
of this case.
National Chairman of the
All Nigeria Peoples Party
(ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya
Onu, yesterday
requested the
Independent National
Electoral Commission
(INEC) to postpone
tomorrow’s governorship
election in Bayelsa State.
While commending the
court for ordering INEC to
include the name of ANPP
candidate Ebiliot Alamene
in the ballot, Onu said the
postponement is
necessary to enable the
party and the candidate
prepare for the election.
Onu spoke in Abuja at
the party’s National
Executive Committee
(NEC) meeting. He said:
“We commend the court
for ordering INEC to
include the name of our
candidate in the Bayelsa
governorship race. But I
will appreciate it if INEC
can shift the election to
enable us prepare to
avoid rushing in to the
election.
“Things should be done
right and at the
appropriate time. The
party wants peace and
only with peace can the
country move forward.
Election for ANPP is not a
do or die affair.”
Ahead of the elections,
the Director-General of
the National Orientation
Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri,
has urged voters to
embrace peace and
orderliness.
Speaking in a message to
the people of Bayelsa
State through the State
Directorate of the NOA,
Omeri said sufficient
voter education has been
carried out by the NOA to
enable the electorate
vote right and shun
violence.
Calling on youth to use
the opportunity to vote
for their future, Omeri
urged them to reject
thuggery and money for
vote.
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