‘INEC’s appeal on five governors’ tenure to go ahead’

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday said it had not discontinued its appeal against the verdict of Justice Adamu Bello, in the case on the tenure of five state governors. Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said the records of INEC’s appeal had been transmitted to the Court of Appeal, which had commenced proceedings in the case. He said, “This clarification is necessary to correct the confusion on the substantive appeal by INEC and on a motion for stay of execution of Justice Bello’s judgment filed by a lawyer, Dame Carol Ajie, who is neither the commission’s counsel nor under brief by INEC. “Ajie’s motion was filed at her instance without instruction from INEC. She only sought for permission to file processes on behalf of the commission. No such permission was granted when it came to the notice of the commission that Ajie had filed the Motion on Notice for stay of execution. She was immediately directed to withdraw all processes filed on behalf of the commission. Besides, the commission had already briefed other lawyers who as at then had filed the substantive appeal.” By Agency Reporter Courtesy of: Punch