2023: INEC cries out over 600 court cases

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC said the commission has been joined in about 600 cases relating to the conduct of recent primaries and nomination of candidates by political parties for the 2023 general election.

The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu disclose this on Monday at a capacity building workshop for justices and judges on election matters at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.

The Commission decried the increase in the number of court cases arising from the conduct of primaries of political parties.

Yakubu said, “Only two weeks ago, one political party served about 70 court processes on the Commission in one day seeking to compel us to accept the nomination or substitution of its candidates long after the deadline provided in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election had elapsed. Some of the cases will go up to the Supreme Court.

“The implication is that we are still dealing with issues of nomination of candidates thereby eating into vital rime for preparation of and procurement of sensitive materials for the materials. It also means that the Courts will be dealing with the same issues long after the General Election,” he added.

The INEC boss reassured the judiciary that the commission will continue to abide by court orders.

The capacity-building workshop, it was said, was part of series of events INEC lined up in preparation of the 2023 elections, after the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola sworn in members of the Election Petition Tribunal for the 2023 general elections.