INEC LACKS THE MORAL STANDING TO SUSPEND ENUGU GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION RESULT – DR. AUSTIN OKOLIE

A Senior citizen of Enugu, Dr. Austin Okoye has called out INEC for going against the laws binding them as unbiased umpire, by delaying the announcement of the Enugu governorship election results.

Dr. Okoye made reference to the February 25th Presidential elections, where INEC said “that the law did not permit them to review or stop the process and that those with grievances should go to the election court to seek redress and remediation.”

He urged the electoral body to adhere to its own laws and rules of engagement of which empowers them to conduct, collate and announce winners of elections.

According to him, INEC lacks moral standing to Suspend an election clearly won by the PDP in Enugu, with the following reasons;

That the doctrine and principles of law of precedence is tenuous in these cases . That there has been a precedence in the already declared Presidential election held on the 25th of February 2023 where the INEC Chief returning officer and Chairman of the INEC refused to tarry a while but he went ahead to announce and declared the APC Presidential candidate as winner and returned even when the Labour Party and PDP Agents protested the outcome of the election sighting rigging, falsification of results figures and manipulation of the process.

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The credible reports of the international and local monitors and observers faulted the results of the elections which they called shambolic.

There were obvious evidence of manipulations and intimidations of voters and political opponents during and after the elections.

That there were reported cases of killings, electoral violence in many polling units and collation centres that made the elections unacceptable and devoid of credibility.

That there were massive and thunderous protestations and genuine petitions from the leading opposition parties especially PDP and Labour party etc.

That there were disenchantment and disagreements with INEC on the declared results and announcement of the winners of the elections.

That the number of electorates disenfranchised were many and significant.

He further appealed to the electoral body to as a matter of urgency declare the winner of the Enugu governorship election.