The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is set to hold a crucial meeting to determine its next line of action on Kogi and other states affected by the supreme court’s ruling on tenure elongation.
The judgement by the Supreme Court has been a subject of multiple interpretations by stakeholders in the Kogi State given its peculiarity.
Of all the affected states, it only Kogi State that has conducted governorship election that produced a governor-elect.
A school of thought claim the governor-elect ought to have been sworn in as substantive governor instead of the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
The Supreme Court by its judgment delivered last Friday held that the tenure of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (Ibro) lapsed on the 28/05/2011 and impliedly, election into the office of Governor of Kogi State ought to have been conducted not earlier than 60 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the said office. Given that constitutional provision, election into the office of Governor of Kogi State ought to have been conducted not later than 28/4/2011. Pundits who hold this view suggest that the PDP mandate be returned to the winner of the January 9th primaries, Alhaji Jubrin Isah Echocho.
Another popular notion among Kogi gladiators argues that in the eye of the law, as at 9/1/2011 when PDP conducted a primary election, nomination into the office of Governor of Kogi State was not open. As was held in McFoy v. UAC and Peter Obi v. INEC, you can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand. The said Primary election could then not stand, as nomination for election into the office of Governor of Kogi State was not yet open. According to this group, the PDP Primary elections of 9/1/2011 and 22/9/2011 becomes void in light of present circumstances and believes fresh nominations by political parties be called for by INEC.
The INEC National Commissioner in charge of publicity, Prince Adedeji Shoyebi said the electoral body still had three working days to meet and study the Supreme Court judgement with a view to determining the next line of action in the affected states.
Shoyebi suggested that INEC could hold a crucial meeting on Tuesday, just as he stressed that the position it would be taking during the meeting would be in strict compliance with the provisions of the law.
