Opposition drags Gombe SIEC to court - Over LG polls

Ishola Michael, Gombe - 25.03.2008

Three opposition parties in Gombe State have dragged the State Independent Electoral Commission before the state High Court, seeking for an interim injunction to restrain the electoral body from conducting the March 29, local government election in the state.

The suit which came up for mention was instituted by three opposition parties namely: All Nigerian People Party (ANPP), Democratic People Party (DPP) and Action Congress (AC) claiming that all the members of the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission have displayed sentiments favourable to the PDP, alleging further that they are all members of the ruling party and have displayed open bias against other parties in the day-to-day running of their affairs as a commission.

They further alleged that the composition of the electoral body was lopsided, observing that the unduly appointment of GOISEC members would be prejudicial to them (plaintiffs) in the forth coming polls.

Another point raised by the plaintiffs in their joint application was about the timetable for the elections which they claimed was not made available to them until February 23 this year which according to them was calculated to dim their chances in the poll.

While pointing out the inadequacies of GOSEIC, the plaintiffs stated that the Electoral Law of the state conflicted the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in matters relating to the qualification of candidates contesting elections.
The coalition took an undertaking to indemnify GOSIEC, if the court found their applications frivolous, to an amount to be determined by the court.

To this end, the plaintiff saw it as a grand plan by the Commission to deprive the willing and eligible contestants to exercise their constitutional right, therefore based on these applications unless the defendant was restrained, the councils’ poll would be conducted without the candidates from the oppositions. Meanwhile, hearing in the case continues today Tuesday, 25th March 2008.