Hope for re-run elections in Owerri West and Oru East state constituencies, as well as the Okigwe senatorial seat remained very dim, as no dates had been fixed for the exercise, as at press time Monday.
Reacting to this development, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Owerri West state constituency, Sir Chidi J. Ihemedu, a lawyer, lamented that since INEC failed to comply with the 90-day limit ordered by the court, the electoral umpire would need the approval of the court to carry out the exercise outside the specified period.
“It is indeed very sad that INEC has failed to implement the order of court. It is also clear, legally speaking, that INEC cannot call for or carry out the re-run elections, without seeking court approval to extend the time limit earlier ordered by a competent court of the land”, Ihemedu said.
While recalling that the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner recently invited contestants to his office and announced that INEC would still carry out the court order, Sir Ihemedu however wondered where he drew the authority from, in making such a sweeping statement.
“The re-run elections were ordered by the court and since INEC failed or neglected to carry out the order within the time frame given by the court, the implication is that the affected constituencies would remain without representatives for now,” Ihemedu said.
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