The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will affect the Supreme Court ruling on the Bayelsa Governorship election once it is served with the certified true copy of the judgment.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Okoye said while INEC was bound to obey court orders or judgments including that of the Supreme Court, the commission could not act base on reports from radio reports or newspapers.
“It is when we receive the certified true copy of the judgment that we have a clear understanding of what the court tells us to do and we will give effect to the judgment of the supreme court.
” All we have heard and seen as of today are just newspaper reports. We are waiting for our lawyers who are part of the proceedings and certified true copy of the judgment to enable us to study and give effect to it.
“INEC has no power not to implement the judgment of the Supreme Court. We are waiting for the certified copy of the judgment so that we can give effect to what the apex court wants us to do.“We don’t have any personal interest in the judgment of the supreme court. Our interest and competence are just to give effect to the judgment,” Okoye said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday sacked David Lyon and Sen. Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, as governor and deputy governor-elect in the Nov. 16, 2019 Bayelsa governorship election.
Justice Ejembi Eko, who delivered the lead judgment reinstated Nov. 12, 2019, Judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja that disqualified Degi-Eremieoyo from participating in the governorship poll.
The court held that the trial court was right in finding the deputy guilty of presenting false information to INEC.
The Justice Mary Odili-led panel held that no person shall be qualified to contest the election if he presented false information for the purpose of election.
The apex court ordered that the certificate of return be withdrawn immediately from the governor and his deputy and be issued to the candidate with the second-highest votes in the Nov. 16, 2019 election.
