Barely twenty fours hours to tomorrow governorship election in Bayelsa state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would proceed with putting the All Progressives Congress, governorship candidate, David Lyon on the ballot.
Justice Jane Inyang of a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, on Thursday nullified the governorship primaries that produced Chief David Lyon as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for tomorrow’s election.
Delivering judgment, Justice Inyang, while ruling on a suit filed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, challenging the conduct of the governorship primaries of APC held that the primaries were conducted arbitrarily outside the rules of the party.
She declared that since the process was conducted in violation of the party’s constitution and guidelines as clearly spelt out for the conduct of governorship primaries, none of the aspirants should be fielded as the party’s candidate.
She, therefore, restrained the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), from including Lyon as the APC candidate in the governorship election slated for Saturday.
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But the electoral body gave an indication that it would proceed with its plan for the election after a meeting held last night by Professor Mahmoud Yakubu with his national commissioners.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu in a terse statement said nothing has changed in its plan, prior to Thursday judgment of Justice Iyang.
He said:” The meeting has ended but we are not issuing a statement. However, our elections in both Kogi and Bayelsa will go on as planned.”
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