INEC issues guidelines to lawyers handling election petitions in Akwa Ibom

All lawyers representing and defending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the state election petition tribunal have been issued guidelines by the electoral body.

Contained in a memo signed by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike Igini, on Saturday, the guidelines titled; ‘The role and expectations of INEC’s lawyers at the election petition tribunal in Akwa Ibom State’ was drafted by the commission to put its solicitors in check.

The memo reminded the lawyers that INEC remains an unbiased umpire and also congratulating the lawyers on their appointment as external solicitors and counsels to the commission at the Election Petition Tribunal.

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“The Commission here in the state conducted the 2019 general elections in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (see S.160), the extant Electoral Act (see S.52),” the memo read in part.

The development comes after INEC waved aside allegations leveled against it by the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Nsima Ekere, who alleged that his legal team has been denied access to election materials.

According to Igini, the APC governorship candidate lied about the matter to deceive the public so as to gain sympathy in order to get federal appointments.

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