The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to the recent claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the outcome of the presidential election.
INEC reacted in a statement on Monday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye.
“The Commission is a law-abiding institution and will not argue or canvass in the media, petitions that are sub-judice and where the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal is firmly seized of the issues,” he said.
The statement came shortly after the opposition party accused the electoral body of disobeying court order by refusing to release the electoral materials used for the conduct of the February 23 Presidential Election.
Okoye, however, said INEC was mindful of the petitions pending before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
He added that the commission was also aware that issues have been joined in the said petitions as the petitioners have filed their petitions and the respondents have responded to the petitions.
The national commissioner further noted, “The Commission as one of the respondents in the petition filed by the PDP and its Presidential Candidate has responded to the said Petition.
“The Commission is aware that very senior lawyers are representing the Petitioners and the respondents in relation to the said petitions.”
“The Lawyers representing the petitioners are seized of the state of the law and the course to take if they truly believe that the commission is in disobedience of the orders of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal,” he added.
According to Okoye, INEC is a law-abiding institution and will continue to accord the requisite respect to judicial institutions and obey the orders of the court.
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