INEC rejects judge’s claim on inconclusive polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the claim of Kumai Akaas, a supreme court judge, that it is using inconclusive elections to do its bidding.

Osaze-Uzzi, INEC director of voter education and publicity, said Akaas’ comment did not reflect the judgement of the apex court.

Speaking during the ruling on the Osun governorship election, on Friday, Akaas said declaring the Osun governorship poll inconclusive showed that “INEC had something up its sleeves.”

He was one of the two judges who dissented with the ruling in favour of Gboyega Oyetola, governor of Osun. Five others endorsed the ruling.

“For INEC to pronounce the election election inconclusive shows that it had something up its sleeves and it was able to achieve that through the rerun,” the judge had said. “INEC uses inconclusive elections to do what it wants to do.”

But when contacted for comments, Uzzi said the supreme court had ruled on the matter and that “puts an end” to it.

“Obviously, the majority did not agree with him! The decision of the Supreme Court is as contained in the leading judgement, assented to by five justices of the court,” he told TheCable via a text message.

“We can’t comment on a minority opinion. The law has taken its course. This puts an  end to the matter.”

Joseph Afuwape, the returning officer for the governorship poll, had declared it inconclusive, stating that the margin between the two leading candidates was not significant enough to declare a winner.

The supreme court was, however, silent on whether INEC has the power to declare an election inconclusive — one of the arguments the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was leading before the rerun, had put forward.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited over an error of fact