…says LP abuses court process
An All Progressives Congress support group, Bola Campaign Organization (BCO) has applauded the judgement of the Lagos State Division of the court of Appeal against the earlier judgement of the Federal High Court which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically upload election results of the Governorship and State Assembly elections from polling units to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV).
BCO gave this commendation in a statement signed by its National Patron, Alhaji Abdulwahab Korede Quardi (FCIB), National Coordinator, QS Mohammed Makinta (FNIQS) and National Women Leader, Alhaja Folashade Tinubu – Ojo, and made available to journalists on Sunday.
BCO also agreed with the court of Appeal that the earlier judgement of the Federal High Court of Lagos State, was an abuse of the court process, as Emeka Nwite, a Federal High Court Judge in Abuja in January 2023, before the February 25, 2023 Presidential election delivered judgment granting INEC the liberty to pick the method of transmitting election results from the polling units to the collation centers in accordance with 2022 Electoral Act.
BCO however commended the justices of the Court of Appeal for demonstrating courage, forthrightness and dispassion in delivering the historic judgment.
“The leadership of Bola Campaign Organization (BCO) applaud the judgment of the Court of Appeal Lagos State against the earlier judgement by the Federal High Court in Lagos where INEC was compelled to immediately transmit results of both Governorship and State Assembly elections on the IReV Portal”.
“The Labour Party has earlier filled a suit against INEC at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where it raised same issues as sought similar reliefs which it re-litigated at the Lagos division of the court”.
“We observe with keen interest that this rulling that came from the Federal High Court in Lagos was an abuse of court process since a court of competent jurisdiction has ruled over the matter”.
“By virtue of the judgment of the Abuja court in January 23, 2023, INEC was at liberty to prescribe the manner in which election results could or ought to be transmitted by virtue of sections 50 (2) and 60 (5) of the Electoral Act, 2022”.
“As a group, we commend the justices of the Court of Appeal who demonstrated courage, forthrightness and dispassion in delivering this historic judgment to put our electoral proceses in check”, the group maintained.
Recall that in March, the Labour Party (LP), its governorship candidate in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and 42 other house of assembly candidates filed a suit marked FHC/L/CS/370/2023, seeking an order of mandamus compelling INEC to comply with its regulations and guidelines which made provision for electronic transmission of results.
