Despite court order, INEC vows to go ahead with Adamawa poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to go ahead with the supplementary governorship election slated for March 23.

A high court in Yola, the state capital, had restrained the commission from conducting the exercise based on a suit filed by Mustafa Shaba, governorship candidate of the Movement For Restoration and Defense for Democracy (MRDD).

Shaba had sued the commission over the absence of his party’s logo on the ballot paper of Saturday’s election that was declared inconclusive.

“I hereby grant the following order: ‘the defendant the INEC is restrain whether by themselves, their executives, servants, privies, representative, nominees or any other person or persons from proceeding with the supplementary election in respect of Adamawa pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” Abdulazeez Waziri,” the presiding judge, held.

He adjourned the matter till 21 March and ordered that all parties to the suit be served.

But speaking with journalists, Kassim Gaidam, resident electoral commissioner of Adamawa, said nothing will stop INEC from conducting the supplementary poll.

“Going by the electoral act, even court orders cannot stop any election at this point. Although we are not aware of any court restraining INEC, however let me tell you that court order will not stop any election. ”

Gaidam cited sec 87 sub (10), of the electoral act to buttress his point.

The section states: “Nothing in this section shall empower the court to stop the holding of primaries or General Election or the processes thereof under this Act pending the determination of the suit.”