Edo Assembly crisis: PDP asks INEC to withdraw certificate of Return of 14 members-elect

By Osagie Otabor, Bénin

 

The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw Certificate of Return from 14 members-elect in the Edo State House of Assembly whose seats were recently declared vacant.

It said the refusal/neglect by the members-elect to subscribe to the Oath of Membership/Allegiance with respect to the affected constituencies throughout the First Session and First Quarters of the 7th Assembly of Edo State amounted to abdication of office

The PDP said the right thing for INEC to do was to withdraw the affected members’ certificate of return since they have failed or neglected to seat in the House they were elected into.

This was contained in a letter addressed to Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu and signed by Chikaodinaka Adindu on behalf of the PDP and its candidates for the House of Assembly election.

The PDP, however, kicked against the call for fresh elections into the constituencies by Speaker Frank Okiye.

It said state resources should not be wasted in conducting fresh elections where there are 1st runners up in the concluded elections and more so where the affected dembers-elect did not subscribed to the Oath of Membership/Allegiance.

Read Also: INEC not aware about the sacking of 14 Edo Lawmakers

 

According to the letter, “The Doctrine of Necessity should be invoked to issue certificate of return to the 1st Runner up in the election in order to save their constituencies from undue suffering and neglect having performed their civic responsibility of voting only to be denied the dividend of democracy.

“We are by this letter demanding/requesting you and your Commission (INEC), to use your good offices to issue to our Clients, Certificate of Return within the next 7 days of the receipt of this letter.

“That failure to accede to request in the interest of Justice and Equity as clearly communicated by this letter within the time limited above, we shall be left with no other option than to carry-out the full instructions of our Clients by instituting an action in court of law.

“We look forward to hearing from you within the next 7 days.”