Court of Appeal Accuses INEC of Partisanship in Landmark Ruling

In a scathing indictment, the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered a rebuke to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday, accusing the electoral body of partisanship.

Justice K. I. Amadi conveyed this censure while delivering the lead judgment in a case involving the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

The Court of Appeal expressed dismay at INEC’s intervention in favor of a party in an election dispute, emphasizing the incongruity of the Commission disowning documents it not only issued but also officially certified.

The court characterized INEC’s actions as akin to “dancing naked in the market,” rebuffing its expected role as a neutral umpire in election cases.

Justice Amadi, in delivering the unanimous ruling, highlighted the pivotal role of INEC as an institution meant to be an unbiased arbiter between parties in elections.

The court admonished INEC, urging the electoral body to cease behaving irresponsibly and to remember that its duty to conduct elections directly influences the peace and well-being of the country.

The Court of Appeal’s decisive ruling resulted in the nullification of the election of Abubakar Suleiman, the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly. Suleiman had previously been certified as the winner of the state’s Ningi Central Constituency by INEC.

The ruling marks a significant development in holding electoral bodies accountable for maintaining impartiality in the democratic process.