The Independent National Electoral Commission has said tomorrow’s governorship election in Bayelsa State will hold as scheduled.
INEC, in a statement this evening by Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said that the commission was not aware of the existence of any court judgement barring it from going ahead with the election.
The statement by Idowu reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has become aware of an apprehension in the public as to whether the Bayelsa State Governorship Election fixed for Saturday, February 11, 2012, will hold as scheduled.
“This apprehension derives from certain Court orders said to have been secured by some political parties, stopping the Commission from going ahead with the election.
“INEC wishes to make clear that as at today, Friday, September 10, 2012, it has not been served with the said orders. By all means, the Commission is law-abiding by character. But it cannot act on orders of the Court that it has not been served.
“It is hereby restated therefore that the Governorship Election in Bayelsa State will hold as scheduled. The accreditation of registered voters will begin at 8a.m. in Polling Units across the state as planned, while all persons accredited are required to queue up at 12 noon for the commencement of voting at 12.30 p.m.
“All necessary preparations have been made to ensure smooth conduct of the election, and the Commission is optimistic of a successful outing. It hereby solicits the maximum cooperation of all stakeholders to make this a reality. Voters in particular are urged to turn out en masse to perform their civic duty, conducting themselves peacefully and orderly as they do so.”
The African Renaissance Party had obtained the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja barring INEC from conducting the election because the party’s flag bearer was left out of the election.
Justice Donatus Okorowo had on Thursday said that INEC had no right to exclude the candidate of the ARP from the election in Bayelsa State tomorrow.
Okorowo had then ordered that INEC should appear before him today to convince him on why it has to go ahead with the conduct of the election.
Okorowo had yesterday granted ARP’s application brought by its lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, seeking the inclusion of the names of the party’s candidate for the election, Dumbo Hink, and his running mate, Adigio Inangaebite.
INEC, the party averred, violated some provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, inluding giving just 12 days notice for the election instead of 90.
Okorowo held that it would be unfair for the commission to exclude the ARP from the election, ordering INEC to include Hinks and Inangaebite.
The ARP went to the court seeking for:
•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.