The commission responsible for conducting electoral process in Nigeria has given a condition for Rochas Okorocha to be issued a certificate of return.
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| Rochas Okorocha |
Festus Okoye the chairman of INEC information and voter education committee, in Abuja, said the commission will issue a certificate of return if directed by the court to do so.
Mr Okoye stated that the decision reached by the commission has not changed.
"Governor Rochas Okorocha would not be issued certificate of return in relation to the senatorial election."
He said the paramount thing is to let the matter run through in court and for matters to not be prejudged.
If at the end of the day, the court makes an order for the certificate to be given to the governor, then that order would be adhered to.
The court might also take a different decision, ruling that the governor should not be given a certificate of return, then, the commission will obey the order.
Festus Okoye said:
“As of today, the matter is pending in court, the best thing to do is to wait for the outcome of the judicial process.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it may register more political parties before the 2019 general elections.
Director of Publicity and Voter Education at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Oluwole Ozassi-Uzi, confirmed to Punch that registering new parties will continue, until six months before the next general elections as stipulated under the law.
This week, INEC confirmed the registration of five new parties: Young Progressive Party, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance, New Generation Party of Nigeria, All Democratic Peoples Movement and Action Democratic Party.
With the registration of the new parties, there are now 45 political parties in Nigeria.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that we have not closed our doors to the registration of new political parties before the conduct of general elections in 2019.
“We registered the five that we announced based on the criteria in the constitution and I can tell you that if new associations come up tomorrow and meet those conditions, they would equally be registered,” Ozassi-Oluwole said.
