INEC Responds to Governor Fubara’s Allegations of Selective Election Conduct
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a caution to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara over his public statements regarding the defection of lawmakers, urging him not to mislead the public.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, released a statement on Friday in Abuja responding to allegations made by Governor Fubara. The governor had accused the commission of selectively conducting elections to fill vacancies resulting from defections by serving members of both the National and State Assemblies.
Oyekanmi emphasized that no specific examples of the alleged selective conduct were provided in the statement. However, Fubara accused the commission of deliberately failing to address vacancies created by the ongoing crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly, where two factions are competing for control.
The INEC spokesman clarified that the commission is aware of the situation in Rivers, but the matter is currently pending in court, and as such, is sub judice. He explained that several lawsuits have been filed, including at the Supreme Court, and that the commission must await a final judicial decision before taking any action.
Oyekanmi pointed out that proceeding with any elections or actions before the court ruling would be premature and could result in wasted public funds if the decisions were later overturned.
The INEC spokesperson further advised those in high public offices, like Governor Fubara, to exercise caution in their statements to avoid misleading the public or casting aspersions on public institutions, particularly when legal proceedings are ongoing.
