Kogi Guber: INEC Appeals Judgment, Insists Natasha Wasn't Validly Nominated to Contest
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court which reversed the commission's disqualification of Barr. Natasha Akpoti of social Democratic (SDP) in the last gubernatorial election in Kogi State.
In the petition, INEC stated that the Federal High Court failed to put into consideration the fact that SDP had no validly nominated Deputy Governorship candidate at the close of the period for nomination on September 9.
The petition further stated that the invalidity of the Deputy Governorship candidate (Muhammed Bashir Yakubu) invalidate SDP's nomination of Natasha Akpoti as its governorship candidate.
"The Third Respondent did not validly substitute Muhammed Bashir Yakubu. The third Respondent cannot place something on nothing.
"The court did not appreciate the fact that the purported withdrawal of Muhammed Bashir Yakubu as Deputy Governorship candidate was after his nomination was found invalid", the a petition stated.
Amongst other things, INEC sought an order of the Appeal court to dismiss the judgment of the Federal High Court on November 7 which granted Natasha Akpoti the right to contest in the last Kogi State governorship election for lack of merit.
In the petition, Natasha Akpoti served as first Respondent, Adams Khalid served as second Respondent while SDP served as third Respondent.
In the case filed at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, the electoral umpire stated its dissatisfaction with the judgement delivered by Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa on November 7 at the Federal High Court in Abuja which stated that the SDP governorship candidate was eligible to contest the governorship election in Kogi State.
Justice Ogunbanjo-Giwa, at the time, ruled that INEC was wrong to have disqualified Akpoti from the November 16 poll.
In her judgment, she held that INEC lacked the power to disqualify any candidate for an election as it was the exclusive preserve of a competent court of law.
The judged then granted reliefs 1 to 7 of the plaintiffs and ordered the electoral umpire to include the names of the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the SDP, as well as the party’s logo on the ballot in the poll.
However, in an appeal petition filed by the commission at the Appellate Court, INEC stated that the Federal High Court erred in law and thereby occasioned miscarriage of justice, adding that without proper evaluation of the evidence of Appellant the court proceeded to grant the reliefs sought by Respondents.In the petition, INEC stated that the Federal High Court failed to put into consideration the fact that SDP had no validly nominated Deputy Governorship candidate at the close of the period for nomination on September 9.
The petition further stated that the invalidity of the Deputy Governorship candidate (Muhammed Bashir Yakubu) invalidate SDP's nomination of Natasha Akpoti as its governorship candidate.
"The Third Respondent did not validly substitute Muhammed Bashir Yakubu. The third Respondent cannot place something on nothing.
"The court did not appreciate the fact that the purported withdrawal of Muhammed Bashir Yakubu as Deputy Governorship candidate was after his nomination was found invalid", the a petition stated.
Amongst other things, INEC sought an order of the Appeal court to dismiss the judgment of the Federal High Court on November 7 which granted Natasha Akpoti the right to contest in the last Kogi State governorship election for lack of merit.
In the petition, Natasha Akpoti served as first Respondent, Adams Khalid served as second Respondent while SDP served as third Respondent.
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