The Kogi All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship
campaign council has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
to redeploy Gabriel Longpet, the state’s resident electoral commissioner (REC).
The APC is accusing the REC of compromising materials for
the state’s governorship election conducted on November 11, 2023.
INEC declared Usman Ododo, candidate of the APC, as the
winner of the election but Murtala Ajaka, candidate of the Social Democratic
Party (SDP), has challenged his victory at the tribunal.
Ajaka, who has not been able to inspect the election
materials to fortify his petition at the tribunal, alleged that there were
irregularities in Kogi central during the off-cycle poll.
In a statement on Wednesday, Kingsley Fanwo, spokesperson of
the council, said INEC should halt the inspection of the materials because of a
motion it filed at the tribunal.
“It will be recalled that the Social Democratic Party and
its Candidate obtained an Ex-parte Order of the Tribunal on the 25th day of
November 2023, directing INEC to among other things, allow an inspection of
electoral materials used for the Governorship Election for the purpose of
assisting the SDP and its Candidate institute and maintain a Petition which at
the time had not been filed,” Fanwo said.
“INEC was given only 48 hours to comply with the said orders
which includes all forms, registers, result sheets, ballot papers and BVAS
machines.
“Upon being served
with the Order on the 27th day of November 2023, INEC filed a Motion before the
Tribunal on the 29th day of November 2023 praying the Court to set aside the
said Orders contending that the Tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to make the
said Orders and for other reasons such as apparent contradictions in the said
Ex-parte Order.
“That Motion to set aside dated and filed on 29/11/2023 is
to our knowledge still before the Tribunal as it has not been heard.
“[INEC should] commence disciplinary processes against the
Resident Electoral Commissioner for Kogi State, Mr. Longpet, having been
heavily compromised by the SDP and its Candidate.
“Suspend or redeploy the REC from Kogi State pending the
outcome of the disciplinary process against him.”
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