Ondo poll: Coalition tasks INEC to defend democracy

– Ondo state, a Pro-Democracy Coalition has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to follow the path of established principles of law 


– The judgments of the Federal HighCourt on the PDP leadership, delivered by JusticesAbdulahiLiman, ValentineAshiand Nnwamaka Ogbonnaya
PDP is campaigning for Eyitayo Jegede instead of Jimoh Ibrahim in the Ondo




election Ahead of the release of the final list of governorship candidates for Ondostate, a Pro-Democracy Coalition hasurged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to follow the path of established principles of law and decisions of the Supreme Court.



 The group specifically urged INEC to apply the various judgments of the Supreme Court in determining the rightful candidates of the various political parties, especially that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where there seems to be contention.




Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC) said from its investigation, the Supreme Court has settled the fact that only the National Executive organ of a party can validly submit toINEC the names of the party’s candidates





in a general election.In a statement by it Conveners, Mssrs Ariyo-Dare Atoye, Ilemona Onaja, Ojugo Onyeluka, the coalition cited the judgements of the Apex court in: “Emeka vs Okadigbo & Ors (2012) 18 NWLR (pt1331) 55; Emenike vs PDP (2012) 18 NWLR (pt1315) 556; Oguebego vs PDP.




“To the effect that the appropriate organ of a party empowered to conduct primaries and submit names of its candidates for the purposes of the general election is the National Executive Committee,” the statement clarified.







CDNDC equally referred to a subsisting judgment of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal HighCourt in Okonkwo vs INEC, which asserted that: “It is settled law that the state executive committee organ of a political party lacks the power tonominate candidates for an election. It is only the primary election conducted by the national executive committee of a party that is valid to be submitted to INEC for the purpose of an election and no other arm.”




 The group, however, observed that there is no contention before INEC as to who is the rightful leadership of the PDP, since various judgments of the Federal High Court have upheld the legitimacy of the Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee (NEC).






According to CDNDC, “the judgments of the Federal High Court on the PDP leadership, delivered by Justices Abdulahi Liman, Valentine Ashi and Nnwamaka Ogbonnaya; thecombined import of which have validated and authenticated the Ahmed Makarfi led NEC of the PDP.




“When read together, these judgments point to the fact that only the Makarfi led PDP NEC can submit names of candidates to INEC. This was in Edo State and it has also beendone in respect of Ondo State, and no any other body or institution has the power to act otherwise,” it added.






CDNDC described any legal voyage alter this known position of the law as “an exercise in futility,” meant to distract INEC and create an electoral logjam that could undermine the neutrality and consistency of the commission on PDP matters.






The coalition, however, noted that it is difficult to ascertain if Jimoh Ibrahim was in the first place a member of the PDP, referring to an exclusive interview the businessmangranted Trace Magazine on June 19, 2016, where he admitted his membership of the Accord Party (AP).“





Jimoh Ibrahim is a member of the Accord Party, he has never denied that; what INEC must try to ascertainis whether a member of one political party can contest on the platform of another party irrespective of a procured court order.





“We urge INEC to take cognizance of all these facts and act appropriately in the interest of democracy and political Justice,” the coalition added.






The group also urged INEC not to fallfor any political blackmail, cautioning that if any person or group is allowed to subvert due process, this could create a serious problem for the commission as “more desperate politicians could exploit that in future.






”Meanwhile, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state,Jimoh Ibrahim, has faulted the Independent NationalElectoral Commission (INEC)for attempting to eliminate him from theelection, alleging that an official of the commission demanded a $1 million bribe from him.

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