INEC REACTS TO NULLIFICATION OF BAYELSA GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it may respond to some of the issues raised by the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal when it is availed of the full judgment of the case.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

The commission was reacting to the nullification of the state’s governorship election which produced Duoye Diri.

Okoye, however, noted that the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) nomination for the election was invalid while the party did not exercise its right guaranteed in the Fourth Alteration to the constitution by filing its suit within 14 days of the accrual of the said right.

Okoye recalled that the ANDP was one of the political parties that signified its intention to contest the Nov. 16, 2019, Bayelsa governorship election.

He said that the party conducted party primaries and submitted the name of one Peter David as its Deputy Governorship candidate.

“As at the time of the submission of the name of the said candidate, he was 34 years-old, contrary to Section 177(b) of the constitution that makes it mandatory for a candidate for such office to attain the age of 35 years to be eligible to contest the election.

“In the candidate’s statutory declaration of age and affidavit attached to his form, the party stated that he was born on Feb. 10, 1985.

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