PDP drags Tinubu, senate to court over appointment of pro-APC REC for Akwa Ibom
Main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dragged President Bola Tinubu to court over the latter’s appointment of a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Akwa Ibom State.
The REC appointed by President Tinubu for Akwa Ibom State is Etekamba Umoren, accused of being a staunch member of the APC by the PDP.
The suit filed by the PDP Akwa Ibom chapter has the Chairman and Secretary of the state PDP, Aniekan Akpan and Harrison Ekpo, respectively, as plaintiffs, with President Tinubu, the Senate, and Umoren as defendants.
In the suit, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/146/2023, the plaintiffs provided colored photographs of Umoren wearing APC attire on campaign grounds, along with video clips of him campaigning for the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, while clad in APC clothing.
The PDP leaders are asking the court to declare that “the 1st defendant (President Tinubu) cannot present the 3rd defendant (Umoren) to the 2nd defendant (Senate) for confirmation as REC for Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.”
Furthermore, they seek a court declaration that “the appointment of the 3rd defendant as REC for Akwa Ibom State is unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional, null and void ab initio and of no effect whatsoever.”
The plaintiffs request the court to issue a perpetual injunction restraining the Senate from confirming Umoren as a REC and to prevent Umoren from acting, assuming the office, or representing himself as a REC for Akwa Ibom State.
Earlier, Thursday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, had held a press conference in Abuja, expressing the party’s objection to Umoren’s appointment as Akwa Ibom State REC. Ologunagba alleged that Umoren’s appointment was part of a strategy by the ruling party to manipulate future elections and maintain its hold on power.
“Of particular concern is the brazen imposition of a card-carrying member and prominent leader of the APC in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Etekamba Umoren, as the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, despite the loud and widespread outcry and rejection by Nigerians, and particularly our party, the PDP, and the people of Akwa Ibom State.
“The PDP, therefore, in clear and unequivocal terms rejects the imposition of Etekamba Umoren as INEC REC for Akwa Ibom State being conceived in iniquity and in flagrant violation of the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and the universal demand of impartiality and non-partisanship of an electoral body and its officials,” the party said.
According to the PDP spokesperson, Umoren’s appointment is a severe blow to the credibility of INEC as a cornerstone of democracy and the integrity of the electoral procedure, in addition to being a ‘provocative and contentious violation of the autonomy, trustworthiness, and standing of the electoral framework.’
“Etekamba Umoren should therefore steer clear of INEC office in Akwa Ibom State. President Bola Tinubu should immediately commence the process of appointing a neutral Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State so as to avert crisis and illegitimacy in future elections in the state,” he said.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.
It would be recalled that, last Wednesday, the Senate confirmed the appointments of seven out of the ten RECs nominated by Tinubu, including Umoren.
