Paul Omokuvie Bauchi
AS the 9th National Assembly officially takes off on Tuesday June 11, 2019, some candidates of different political parties in Bauchi State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to respect the Federal Court order which directed it to issue them Certificates of Return as duly elected members.
The candidates are Garba Dahiru of PDP Bauchi South, Auwal Jatau of PDP (Zaki Federal Constituency), Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim of the PDP, (Alkaleri Federal Constituency), Dayyabu Ciroma of the PRP (Darazo/ Ganjuwa Federal Constituency), and Isa Wabu of the NNPP (Gamawa Federal Constituency).
Addressing a press conference at the NUJ Secretariat in Bauchi on Saturday, the lawmakers-elect lamented that two weeks after the decision of the Federal High Court delivered by Hon Justice Bello Kawu, they were yet to receive their certificates of return.
Reading from a statement signed by all the candidates, Garba Dahiru, who spoke on their behalf explained that the court judgment and order was received at the INEC headquarters on 28trh May 2019, covered by the council application for issuance of certificate with the court judgment.Dahiru, who contested the Bauchi South Senatorial ticket, said they expected INEC to obey the court order which nullified votes scored by the All Progressives Congress candidates and ordered the second defendant INEC to issue certificates of return to the candidates that came second.