INEC Commissioner Shuns Tribunal’s Summon

08.03.2008

The former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo State, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has again failed to appear before the election tribunal in Benin.

The tribunal had earlier summoned Abubakar to testify before it on Thursday in connection with the April 2007 general election in the state.

Mr. Gabriel Alubor, the Deputy Superintendent of Police in charge of X-Squad assigned by the police authorities to effect the arrest of Abubakar, told the tribunal that all efforts to enforce the warrant had proved abortive.

He told the tribunal Chairman, Justice Beatrice Iliya, that he was detailed by the Commissioner in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department on March 4, to arrest Abubakar in Akure.

Alubor said his team, however, missed Abubakar, who was said to have left for Benin to answer the summon.

He added that in order to ascertain whether the information was correct, he proceeded to the REC’s office and found it locked.

Responding to the report, the counsel to the petitioners and respondents, Messrs Raymond Okezie and Fred Orbih, said they looked up to the tribunal further orders.

The INEC counsel, Mr. Peter Osemwenkhai, informed the tribunal that on March 4, he wrote a letter to the former Edo REC, informing him of the order of the tribunal.

He said he also sent a certified true copy of the order to the national headquarters.

In her reaction, Iliya said having done everything within the confines of the laws, the tribunal reserved its comment on the evasive attitude of the former REC.