The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted that it has not withdrawn from the appeal process in the Kano governorship election petition case.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Committee on Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, made this known in a statement Saturday in Abuja.
He mentioned that the commission’s legal officer, who allegedly withdrew from the case, has been cautioned.
He said: “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to media reports based on a letter written by the Legal Officer of our Kano State office indicating that the Commission had withdrawn from the appeal process in the ongoing Kano Governorship election petition case.”
“We wish to state categorically that the letter was not authorized. It has since been withdrawn and the officer reprimanded.”
“The public is therefore advised to discountenance the insinuation that the Commission has withdrawn from the case or even worse abandoned the appeal.”
“We wish to state categorically that where litigants join INEC in a case, the Commission is under obligation to respond accordingly.”
“We have, therefore, instructed our lawyers to proceed in line with the extant policy of the Commission. The policy has not changed.”