Nigeria’s New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Wednesday explained why it went for a closed door meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan in Abuja on Tuesday, March 5.
A statement by the NNPP Secretary General, Ogini Olaposi on Wednesday revealed that a selected executives of the NNPP led by their counsel met with the INEC chairman at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Olaposi stated that the meeting which was called to get the INEC chairman to obey court orders regarding the NNPP leadership tussle was stalemated and seemingly unproductive.
“We have had enough patience with INEC, preferring to tow the line of peace and due process in pursing our rights over its delay in uploading the authentic leadership of our party (Dr Boniface Aniebonam as Founder and Chairman Board of Trustees and Dr Agbo Major as Chairman, National Working Committee).
“We have had to call off a protest against the commission for fear of it being hijacked by hoodlums. We have gone to several courts including appeal courts where INEC was ordered to obey rulings regarding recognising the Major led NWC”, the statement said.
The party said after the meeting with Amupitan, it became obvious that democracy is at high risk at the moment in Nigeria and that the commission is bent on disobeying the court orders for whatever reason.
The statement said the INEC chairman could not explain why he has refused to obey a compelling order of the court to upload the original logo and colour symbol of the NNPP to its national server. According to Olaposi, the meeting lasted for over one hour with the INEC chairman not being able to give a valid reason for the commission’s actions.
“At the meeting, our lawyer went through the judgments of Abia State High Court, Federal Capital Territory High Courts and the Owerri Appeal Court and left professor Joash Amupitan with no doubts he was being partisan and or compromised not to obey court orders.
In all these judgments, victory were secured over the Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso group”, the statement said.
“The NNPP said the most striking embarrassment to rule of law is the mandamus order compelling the commission to upload our NWC members within 72hrs and file an affidavit of compliance. Prof Amupitan refused to comply”, the statement added.
The NNPP warned it would pursue all legal options, including seeking a court order to commit the INEC chairman to jail for contempt. The party also said it might approach the court to seek an extension of the 2027 general election timetable to enable its participation.
The NNPP urged President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly leadership, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police to take note of the developments.