INEC sets up committee to probe arrested official

 

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

The  Independent    National Electoral Commission, on Monday, said it had set up a disciplinary committee to probe the activities of an electoral  officer in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State over his involvement in electoral irregularities during the last governorship election in the state.

The commission also responded to the call by some political parties for the cancellation of the entire election exercise in the state,  saying only the court could make such pronouncement.

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, disclosed this while responding to an enquiry by The PUNCH on the situation at the commission’s headquarters and date for the cancelled elections.

He said, “INEC is awaiting the  return of field officials who went for the Anambra election so that they can be debriefed and every report obtained about the elections – especially concerning logistical issues – painstakingly interrogated.

“Thereafter, the commission’s Chairman and National Commissioners will meet to fix a date for the supplementary Election. Meanwhile, the commission has initiated investigative and disciplinary processes against the arrested official.”

According to him, the returning officer had announced some results “on the basis of which he ruled the election inconclusive.”

“By law, those results are now beyond the purview of INEC to invalidate. Only the courts has that power now. All the commission can do is to conduct the supplementary election so the Returning Officer can make a return,” Idowu said.

The candidate of the All Progressive Congress,  Senator Chris Ngige; his counterpart for the Peoples Democratic Party, Tony Nwoye and Mr. Ifeanyi Uba of the Labour Party candidate had on Sunday jointly called for a total cancellation of the poll.

They called on INEC to  conduct a fresh election before the March, 2014 handover date by the incumbent governor, Peter Obi.