Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is confused whether to monitor today’s national convention of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) holding in Port Harcourt folliwng two conflicting court rulings. Recall that Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday had insisted that the PDP must stop its planned national convention just as Justice Ibrahim Watila of the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court, directing the INEC, IGP and others to monitor the convention.
According to Punch newspaper, some national commissioners that INEC was in a dilemma over which order of the different courts it should obey concerning the convention.
It reported that INEC had sent a delegation to Port Harcourt, based on the Rivers State court ruling, mandating it to monitor the convention.
Speaking to a national commissioner who does not want his name in print, he said; “We have just been told that we should not be at the convention on the order of Justice Abang. Yet, another court in Port Harcourt said we must be there.
“These are same courts with same powers under the same President, because the Federal High Court in the country is headed by a President.
“Are these judges reading different laws or constitution? Can’t the President of the Federal High Court call his men to order?
“If we go to Port Harcourt for the convention, a judge will say we flouted his order and if we don’t go, another one will frown at our action.”
Also, INEC’s Director, Publicity and Voters Education, Oluwole Osaze said; “We are in dilemma over which order to obey for now. One order asks us to go, another says we should not. We are waiting to be served with the order of Justice Abang before knowing what to do.”
Mr Nick Danzang a deputy director in the same department said the officials of the commission were on standby in Port Harcourt.
“Although the commission has been served the Port Harcourt court judgment, it has yet to be served the Abuja court judgment by Justice Abang. In the meantime, our monitoring workers are on standby.”
Meanwhile the Rivers state police command said it would provide security for everybody in the state. The state police public relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, told one of our correspondents on the telephone that it was the duty of the police to provide security for Nigerians.
“Whether there is a convention or not, it is our duty to provide security and we are assuring those coming into Rivers of their protection.”
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