By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The National leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of displaying bias in the ongoing internal crisis rocking the party.
However, it has insisted that the only way the electoral umpire could convince the party of its neutrality is for the Professor Mahmud Yakubu-led INEC to take all necessary steps to fish out and punish its staff that monitored the last National Convention held by “some expelled and renegade members of the party in Abuja.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, May 19, 2024, by its National Secretary, Oginni Olaposi, the NNPP expressed dismay that despite being served with all necessary court notices halting the said convention, INEC staffers still monitored the exercise.
The party warned that the INEC should, as a matter of necessity, maintain a high level of neutrality in the present crisis situation in the party as doing otherwise will expose it to accusations of bias.
“Without prejudice to the integrity, honour and leadership of the INEC Chairman, we are using this medium to remind him that successes and otherwise of electoral processes in Nigeria largely depends on the level of quality of leadership of the Commission under his watch.
“It is trite to note that INEC as a Commission has the mandate to regulate and control electoral processes in Nigeria in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Electoral Guidelines.
“This shall be without prejudice to the partial autonomy and independence of political parties to regulate and control themselves in accordance with the party’s constitution.
“One begins to wonder why INEC, as a Commission, other than being neutral is found to be doing the contrary, and taking sides over an internal matter of the NNPP .
“And for the records, Federal High Courts sitting in Awka Anambra state and Abuja have said that the crisis in NNPP should be resolved internally .
“We regret to note that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and others expelled from our party have been deceiving the general public that the NNPP under the leadership of Major Gilbert Agbo rtd lost in the various court cases .
“One begins to wonder how the pronouncements of the Courts that NNPP leadership crisis is an internal matter of the party translate to loss .
“The Federal High Court has jurisdictions over the party constitution to give direction. We have approached the Court of Appeal in that regard to demand for a clear statement as to how the internal crisis can be resolved and who does it.” Part of the NNPP statement reads.
“The NNPP has therefore called on the INEC chairman to rise to his responsibilities and ensure that the electoral body guarantees fairness ,justice and equity for all in its operations .
“This is even as it has urged Prof Yakubu to quickly act on a letter written to the electoral umpire by the Board of Trustees BOT seeking the custody of the party ,while the various court cases instituted by different interests groups last .
“However ,we have been meant to understand that sometimes ,the Chairman of INEC may be shielded from facts of issues and sectional heads tend to do things on their own without the the knowledge of the Chairman.
“On the part of the INEC as a regulator ,it shall be oversight function to deploy alternative dispute resolution ,especially when the matter is brought before it formally .
“Other than that, INEC is found attending and observing an illegal convention of the expelled members .INEC again,should have the courage to respond to the letter of the Founder ,and Members of the Board of Trustees BOT to facilitate and order the board to take responsibility of resolving the internal crisis .
“And for the avoidance of doubts,it is on record that Rabiu Kwankwaso and his splinter group and INEC were duly served court notices against the illegal convention and yet it held and INEC erroneously attended ” the NNPP stated .
