The Labour Party (LP) has threatened to embark on a Nationwide march to offices of the Independent Natioanl Electoral commission (INEC) if it does not grant its Lawyers and agents access to the Bimodial Voter Authentication System (BVAS) machines alongside other electoral materials.
The party’s Presidential Campaign Council chief spokesman, Tanko Yunusa, revealed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday. He lamented INECs disobedience to court order of 3rd March 2023.
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In his words, “INEC with greatest impunity has refused, neglected and failed to obey the Order of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja made on the 03rd day of March 2023, directing it to grant the Labour Party and its presidential candidate H.E. Peter Gregory Obi leave to apply and receive from INEC, certified true copies of materials used in the presidential election held on 25th February 2023.”
He also hinted on a reminder letter sent by the party to INEC dated 6th March 2023 and delivered same date at the INEC Headquarters Abuja, which he said the electoral umpire has continued to ignore and (or) disobey the valid Order of such magnitude till NOW.
” It should be noted that in a democracy like ours, rule of law must triumph not only in our legal system but also in our body polity as a whole.
” Parties to a litigation like in the instant case must accept and obey every order of court in good faith and no party should be seen to employ self-help to disparage or disrespect an order of court which if not checked and curtailed could possibly undermine our democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism.
He described INEC reaction as an act of judicial insubordination and willful refusal to comply to the order of court.
“As we speak INEC has chosen to obey the court order given to it to reconfigure the BIVAS machine, which they doing right now and ignoring the order granted to us to inspect electoral materials.”
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He therefore called on the general public to note the level of lawlessness and brazen disobedience to a lawful order of a court by an important statutory agency such as INEC.
He described the act as a well calculated attempt to undermine and frustrate the presentation of the Petition by the Labour Party and its Presidential candidate before the tribunal in good time.
” We therefore want to state that we will not fail to call our supporters to march to INEC offices nationwide in a’ non violent protest’ which is allowed by law. This is to curtail the flagrant disobedience to court orders by INEC. ” He added.
