APC to seek legal redress over INEC decision in Bayelsa – Oshiomhole

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it plans to seek legal redress on the decision of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of return to Bayelsa Governor-elect, Sen. Douye Diri.

APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who said this on Friday at a news conference in Abuja, described as illegal, INEC decision to turn itself to a court to interpret the supreme court judgment.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the supreme court on Thursday nullified the election of APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa, David Lyon and declared Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Diri, as Governor-elect.

“We recognise that haven issued certificate to PDP candidate, we still believe that there are viable legal widows that we will be explored.

“We affirm our confidence in the judiciary even with pains in our hearts,” he said.

According to him, INEC fails to recognise that its responsibility does not include legal interpretation.

He said the supreme court did not ask INEC to go and assume judicial powers.

“All that INEC needs to do is simple arithmetic, they should ask who has the next highest votes? Does such a person have a required vote spread? If the answer is no, INEC can do no more.

“The supreme court for good reason gave a conditional order that INEC should swear in the second candidate with the highest number of votes and the required constitutional spread.

“I believe that the fact that the supreme court insisted on the constitutional spread is a recognition of the fact that the constitution does not want a situation in which anyone either governor or president presides over the affairs of a state without at least enjoy two-third support of electorate of that state.

“Clearly, the votes scored by PDP and its candidate in that election only met the requirement in five Local Government Areas(LGAs)and you need six LGAs to meet the requirement of two-third. PDP candidate did not satisfy this requirement,” he said.