Why we will obey Supreme Court order on Bayelsa – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has said it would act on the judgment of the Supreme Court directing it to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in Bayelsa State, Chief David Lyon.

INEC, however, said it was yet to be served with a copy of the judgment as at Thursday afternoon.

“I am not sure the Commission has been served with the judgment of the Supreme Court yet. I will keep you posted”, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi said.

Also, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye said the commission would check is record to see which party came second in the election with a view to issuing its candidate a Certificate of Return.

He said INEC would carry out the judgement of the Supreme Court. “We would do that when we get the judgement of the Supreme Court so that we would know clearly what the Supreme Court want us to do and we would carry it out”, he satackl

The Supreme Court had on Thursday, sacked the governor-elect of Bayelsa State, David Lyon and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo.

The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of Justices led by Justice Mary Odili, held that Degi-Eremieoyo presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
It held that the Form CF 001 Degi-Eremieoyo submitted to INEC for the purpose of the November 16, 2019, governorship election in the state, contained false information of fundamental nature.
Justice Ejembi Eko who delivered the lead judgement reinstated November 12, 2019, Judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja that disqualified Degi-Eremieoyo from participating in the governorship poll.

Consequently, it ordered INEC to immediately withdraw the Certificate of Return that was issued to them and issue a fresh one to the party that secured the second-highest number of votes and got the required constitutional spread.

(Credit: VANGUARD)