The Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday disclosed that the number of court cases that arose from the 2019 general election had risen to 1,700.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, who made this known during the budget defence before a Senate Panel, said the commission spends an average of N3 million to N4.5 million on each of the court cases.
Yakubu said: “Each time anyone goes to court, INEC is joined, but we have to hire lawyers to defend us.
“We are not paying fantastic fee.
“We are applying Federal Ministry of Justice scale of fees.
“If for instance you have a case for governorship election before the Supreme Court, it’s a maximum of N4.5 million.
“But because of the number of cases, we are almost getting close to 1,700 pre-election and post-election cases in 2019 alone, and everyday you hear people going to court and joining INEC, but we will continue to do what we can within available resources.”
The INEC boss also disclosed that the commission had completed all preparations to conduct elections in which Nigerians in Diaspora could vote.
He, however, asked Nigerians to wait for such a time the National Assembly would be ready to amend the Constitution and appropriate laws that currently prohibits participation of persons in the Diaspora in elections.
Yakubu said: “The Commission is desirous of giving Nigerians living abroad the right to vote.
“After all, all our neighbouring countries do so.
“But it requires the amendment to the constitution and the Electoral Act for that to happen.
“And we have already worked out the document.
“Once the law is amended today, we can roll out.
“We are ready.
“We have had several meetings with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, but we can’t go beyond what the law provides.”
Accordimg to Yakubu, it was not just those in the Armed Services, the policemen involved in election duties, journalists, INEC adhoc staff and some INEC staff don’t vote.