INEC disagrees with Yar’Adua over Iwu’s interrogation

Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 29.01.2008

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday rejected President Umaru Yar’Adua’s position on the procedure to be adopted in the interrogation of the commission’s Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu, as directed by the Supreme Court.

The apex court on Friday gave the presidential candidate of the Action Congress in the April 21 presidential election, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the go-ahead to ask Iwu 27 questions on the conduct of the said election.

The disagreement between INEC and Iwu came at the resumed hearing of Atiku’s petition against the election of Yar’Adua, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

While the electoral commission agreed to have its chairman interrogated by Atiku before the petitioner filed his fresh final address, Yar’Adua insisted that Atiku should file his final address before Iwu responded to his interrogatories.

It took the intervention of the tribunal’s presiding judge, Justice James Ogebe, before the matter could be resolved, with the panel chairman having to impress it on the president’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), that his client had no choice in the matter once INEC’s counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), had agreed to Atiku’s position.

Monday’s proceedings were attended by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, who is one of the respondents in the petition, two state governors and cabinet ministers.

The governors in attendance included those of Kebbi and Nasarawa states. The cabinet members present were Minister of Energy, Odein Ajumogobia; Prince Adetokunbo Kayode of the Tourism ministry; Godwin Abbe of the interior; John Odey of the information ministry and Aja Nwachukwu of the Education ministry.

The presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the election, who also has a pending petition, General Muhammadu Buhari, was also present.

After INEC and Atiku agreed on the procedure for Iwu’s interrogation, the tribunal directed counsel for the commission to file his response to the interrogatories yesterday and his final address on the 30th of January.

Olanipekun is expected to file his final address on the 31st. When counsel for Atiku, Professor Babatunde Kasumu (SAN), told the court about the judgment of the apex court, Agabi said the chairman of INEC would have responded to the question immediately he became aware of the judgment but could not because some staff members who could assist him with the information concerning the questions had left their offices.

“The interrogatories have been served on the chairman of the commission. He would have answered immediately he was served, but could not because all the staff of the commission who could provide answers to some of the questions have closed.”

With hearing in Atiku’s petition temporarily stalled, the tribunal asked Buhari to step in, but his counsel, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), objected, saying that he would wait for the interrogatories to be answered before he would proceed.

With the two petitions unable to go on as planned, tribunal chairman, Justice Ogebe, could not hide his disappointment that hearing in the petitions would not end yesterday as earlier planned.

Monday’s proceedings saw anti-riot policemen having a hectic time controlling numerous supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who thronged the court premises to show their solidarity with the President.