By Hassan Ishaku.
The Taraba state chapter of the All Progress Congress APC has approached a High Court in Jalingo seeking the dissolution of the just concluded local council elections in the state, describing the election as illegal and unconstitutional.
The State Organizing Secretary of the All Progress Congress APC Mr. Apollos Jehiel who spoke to journalists in a press conference shortly after a High Court in Jalingo mentioned the case for hearing, said the State Independent Electoral Commission didn’t give the party enough time to fully prepare and participate in the election, describing the 21 days notice given by the commission as illegal and unconstitutional.
” We went to court today for the case between the All Progress Congress party in Taraba state and the Taraba state Independent Electoral Commission on the issue of the last council elections the case was mentioned for hearing and was adjourned to the 10th of August 2020, we went to the court because of the injustice that took place during the last Council elections the notice given to us was very short we consider it inadequate to go into the election that is why we boycotted the election, constitutionally we were expected to be given ninety days for preparation to face the oppositions but unfortunately they gave us three weeks and there are activities that will take you thirty days before you embark for an election some will take weeks before the election all this things was what we looked at and we cannot meetup within the 21 days given to us that why we are in the court seeking for justice because we believe the judiciary is the last hope for the common man”. He said.
He pleaded that the court grant it request and dissolve the just concluded election and adequate time be given for a fresh election to be conducted.
Reacting to a statement, the Taraba state Independent Electoral Commission said that all seventeen registered political parties in the state were invited for a meeting before the date for the just concluded election was fixed, Mr. Jediel said the APC were not part of the meeting and the party couldn’t have agreed to participate in an elections with three weeks notice.
“It was a kangaroos meeting and we were not part of the meeting, there is no reasonable person that you will invite and then tell him to prepare for an election within three weeks and he will accept. We were not part of the meeting and if you look critically you will understand that it was those parties that were deregistered that attended the meeting and agreed for the three weeks notice, we are responsible people and we know our right that’s why we boycotted the elections and seek for justice in the court of law”. He stressed.
A High Court member 3 in Jalingo the Taraba state capital presided over by Justice Nuhu Adi had earlier mentioned the case between the APC Taraba state and the Taraba state Independent Electoral Commission and adjourned the case to 10th August 2020 for hearing.
