ANDP Had No Validly Nominated Running Mate For Bayelsa Election - INEC

 

STATEMENT ON THE BAYELSA ELECTION TRIBUNAL RULING

The Commission   is   a   law-abiding   institution   and   will continue   to   obey   and   respect   court   orders.   

By   section 143(1) of the Electoral Act, if the Tribunal determines that a candidate returned as elected was not validly elected, then if notice of appeal is filed within 21 days from the date of the decision, the candidate returned as elected shall   notwithstanding   the contrary   decision   remain   in office pending the determination of the appeal. The Commission is not obligated to give effect to the said judgement  of   the   Tribunal   till   the  parties   exhaust  their right of appeal as provided in the law. 

Moreover, there are germane constitutional issues raised by the judgement and the Commission will take a position when it receives the certified true copy of the judgement. This is because the issues raised in the petition revolve around   the   invalidity   of   the   nomination   of   the   Deputy Governorship candidate. 

Furthermore, the issue of nomination and substitution of candidates raised in the petition fall within the ambit of pre-election   issues  covered   by   the   4th  alteration  to   the Constitution   that   must   be   filed   within   14   days   of   the occurrence of the event. From the records in the Commission, the Advanced Nigeria Democratic  Party  (ANDP)  was  one   of   the   Political  Parties   that signified its intention to contest the Bayelsa Governorship Election that took place on the 16th day of November 2019. From our records, the party conducted party primaries and at the end of the exercise it submitted the name of one Peter Esinkuma

David as its Deputy Governorship candidate. 

From the affidavit evidencing age and the affidavit sworn to by the candidate, the age   of   the   candidate   at   the   time   of   the   submission   of   their nomination   was   34   years   contrary   to   section   177(b)   of   the Constitution that makes it mandatory that only those who are 35 and above can contest the election.  In the candidates’ statutory declaration of age and affidavit attached to his form, the Party stated that the candidate was born on the 10th  day of February 1985. On the 13th day of September, 2019, the Commission wrote to the Party   drawing   their   attention   to   the   constitutional   agerequirement of 35 years for  Governorship/Deputy  Governorship candidates as stipulated in section 177(b) of the Constitution. 

The Commission   also   informed   them   of   the   invalidity   of   their nomination for the 16th November 2019 Governorship election in Bayelsa State. 

On the 21st day of September 2019 and in response to the letter of the Commission dated the 13th September 2019, the Advanced Nigeria Democratic  Party wrote to the Commission acknowledging the invalidity of their nomination and forwarding the name of one Miss   INOWEI   JANETH   as   their   new   Deputy   Governorship candidate. 

On the   27th  of   September 2019, the  Commission informed   the Party   that   the   deadline   for   the   submission   of   nominations   as provided for in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released by the Commission on 16th  May 2019 was 9th  September 2019. The Commission also informed the Party that since they did not submit   valid   nomination,   they   couldn’t   validly   substitute   any candidate. 

Consequently, the name and logo of the Party did not appear and was not reflected in the ballot paper.