The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of being bias.
Peter Obi, made the accusation in a petition he filed before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) where he faulted the INEC for filing a preliminary objection in support of the President-elect and candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said; “The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal had in the past, cautioned INEC not to place itself in a position where imputation of partiality in favour of one party against one will be levelled against it.”
“The apex court had in the case of Attorney General of the Federation V. Abubakar (2007) 10 NWLR (Pto 1041), emphasized that the electoral commission must not only embrace neutrality as its watchword but must always remain fair and focused.”
“The 1st Respondent, forgetting its role as an electoral umpire, gave a Notice of Preliminary Objection to challenge the alleged incompetence of the Petition.”
“The global best practice for electoral umpires in national elections is that an electoral body must avoid creating the impression that it has no respect for neutrality in an electoral contest between candidates.”
“The appellate courts have repeatedly admonished the 1st Respondent of its need to remain neutral in election proceedings. However, the 1st Respondent hereof has remained impervious to change.”
“Therefore, it is not only an embarrassment but a repudiation of the duty of the 1st Respondent when it adorns the garb of a contestant in an election it conducted as an umpire to raise preliminary objection against an Election Petition as in the case hereof.”
“The expectation is that INEC will maintain a neutral stance in all litigations where participants in elections are challenging the outcome of the elections and not indulge in filing objections to the petition.”
“The petitioners will before or at the Pre-Hearing Session or at the hearing of the petition, urge the Honourable Court to strike out and or to dismiss the 1st Respondent’s Notice of Preliminary Objection.”
“The 1st Respondent’s contention that the reliefs sought in the Petition are not grantable is false and made in manifest disregard for the specific and concise pleadings in the Petition.”
“The pleading in the 1st Respondent’s Notice of Preliminary Objection that the allegation in paragraph 20(ii) of the Petition is defective and does not disclose a cause of action, is wishful thinking”.
