Court STOPS INEC from Redeploying AKS REC

Samuel Ignatius

A High Court Sitting in Abuja has refused an application to order the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove Mr Mike Igini as the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Akwa Ibom State. The Claimant, one Mr Stanley Okpara who filed the application, ex parte through his counsel C. F. Odiniru had prayed the Court for an order directing the INEC, the first defendant in the suit, to remove Mr Mike Igini, the second defendant from his current station as INEC REC, Akwa Ibom State and redeploy him to another state.

Justice O. A. Musa delivering his ruling on February 28 refused the prayers of the Applicant stating in his considered reasoning that such an order may disrupt INEC’s plan to conduct a free and credible elections in the concerned state. The court held that:

“Parties should maintain the status quo as of today, to this end, the 1st Defendant either by themselves or Chairman shall not take any step to either remove the 2nd Defendant as the REC as his current station pending the hearing of the motion on notice”.

The court consequently adjourned the matter to March 21, 2019 for the Applicant to address it on jurisdiction. It further ordered the applicant to ensure service of the processes on all parties in the suit.