Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgIT and 34 concerned Nigerians have filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over the appointment of at least four members of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and allies of high-ranking politicians as new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
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Recall that the Senate has confirmed the appointment of seven out of 10 newly appointed RECs for INEC. The alleged APC members appointed as RECs include those from Akwa Ibom, Edo, Lagos and Rivers States.
In the suit filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, the Plaintiffs are seeking: an order setting aside the nomination, confirmation and appointment of the alleged APC members as RECs for INEC, for being unconstitutional, unlawful, null, void and of no effect.
The suit, filed on behalf of the Plaintiffs by their lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: As public officers, President Tinubu and Godswill Akpabio are required to act in conformity with their oath of office and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).
The Plaintiffs are also seeking: an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Tinubu to appoint qualified Nigerians who are persons of unquestionable integrity and a non-member of a political party or loyalist to the positions of RECs for INEC, in line with Paragraph 14(3)(b)(c), Third Schedule and Section 156 of the Nigerian Constitution.
The Plaintiffs are arguing that, Anyone to be appointed as RECs for INEC must clearly be non-partisan, independent, impartial and neutral. INEC officials ought to be able to discharge their legal duties and implement the Electoral Act without fear or favour.
The Plaintiffs are also arguing that, Nigerias electoral body must enjoy the independence from direction or control, whether from the government or any other quarter. It must be accountable to the electorate, and act accordingly.
Joined in the suit as Defendants are: INEC; Godswill Akpabio, for himself and on behalf of the Senate; and Messrs Etekamba Umoren; Isah Shaka Ehimeakne; Anugbum Onuoha; and Bunmi Omoseyindemi.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
