By Matthew Don
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it was not ready to print a fresh ballot paper in respect of the Bayelsa State governorship election coming up on Saturday, November 16.
The Commission also warned that any vote cast for APC would be regarded as a voided vote.
A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, on Thursday nullified the governorship primaries that produced David Lyon as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the poll in the state.
Justice Jane Inyang in her ruling said the primaries that produced Lyon were conducted arbitrarily outside the rules of the party.
The suit was filed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, one of the aspirants who had challenged the conduct of the governorship primaries of APC which held on September 4.
Lokpobiri had claimed he won the governorship primaries conducted by the APC, based on the direct primary mode, but was robbed of the opportunity to fly the Party’s flag.
Commenting on the court ruling while appearing on a programme on AIT on Thursday, Festus Okoye, INED Director, Voter Education said the Commission will not print another ballot paper for the November 16 poll.
“We can’t remove APC on the already printed ballot papers but any vote for APC (in Bayelsa) is a wasted one.”
Justice Inyang held that since the process was conducted in violation of the party’s constitution and guidelines as clearly spelt out for the conduct of governorship primaries, none of the aspirants should be fielded as the party’s candidate.
She therefore restrained the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), from including Lyon as the APC candidate in the governorship election slated for Saturday.
Inyang noted that according to the APC guidelines for the conduct of the 2019 governorship primaries, the results were expected to be declared by the returning officer for the pre-election, Governor Mai Kala Buni of Yobe and not Senator Emmanuel Ochega, Secretary of the election Committee.
Inyang also held that the APC violated its own rules in the composition of the election panel when it constituted a one-member committee and not seven members as stipulated in the party rules.
“It has been established by judicial authorities and several judgments that political parties are bound by their own rules, the committee that conducted the primary threw caution to the winds and it is my ruling that the primaries stand nullified.
“The results announced by Sen Emmanuel Ochega is not valid as he is not the returning officer for the election.
“And I make an order restraining INEC from recognising any of the aspirants that participated in the said primaries,” Inyang said.