The Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) says it cannot disqualify Yahaya Bello, governor of
Kogi state, for double registration because it is not an offence under the
electoral act.
Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, made
this known while speaking at a quarterly media meeting with journalists on
Wednesday.
Natasha Akpoti, a member of the
Social Democratic Party (SDP), had asked a federal high court in Abuja to
disqualify the governor from the November 16 gubernatorial election over
alleged double registration as a voter.
Akpoti was a governorship
candidate but was disqualified by the electoral commission over an invalid
nomination of her running mate.
In the suit, Akpoti said Bello
allegedly committed the offence of double registration on May 23, 2017, at the
government house in Lokoja after he had reportedly registered as a voter in
Abuja in 2011.
But reacting, Yakubu also said
the commission cannot prosecute the governor, who is seeking a second term in
office, because he enjoys constitutional immunity.
“On the issue of double
registration, there is nothing INEC can do with someone who has constitutional
immunity. The governor in question has a guaranteed constitutional immunity,”
Yakubu said.
“We disciplined our staff that
were involved because it is within our reach to take administrative action
against them. Moreover, the electoral act does not permit us to disqualify
anyone based on the account of double registration.
“This is our handicap.”
Speaking on the allegation that
the commission has received a prepared list of partisan ad-hoc staff from the
All Progressives Congress, Yakubu challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
to provide evidence to substantiate its allegation.
The INEC chairman said it is
common to hear politicians making baseless allegations.
He said: “By and large, all we
have to say is to ask those making these allegations to provide to INEC
actionable evidence and we will move into action. Give us evidence and INEC
will act swiftly.”
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