Court stops INEC from conducting supplementary governorship election in Adamawa

INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu

A Yola High Court has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting a supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State.

INEC had earlier fixed the supplementary governorship election in the state for March 23.

Justice Abdul-Aziz Waziri ruled on a request by counsel to the Adamawa chapter of the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), Mustafa Shaba, over absence of the party logo on the ballot paper during the inconclusive election.

“After careful perusal of the a annexture of the MRDD 1 to 5 alongside written address of counsel urging me to grant the application, I am of the view that the application is pregnant with merit and must be granted.

“I hereby grant the following order. The defendant herein, the INEC is restrained whether by themselves, their executives, servants, privies, representative nominees or any other person or persons from proceeding with the supplementary election in respect of Adamawa State governorship pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” Waziri said.

The case was adjourned to March 21 for hearing of motion for the interlocutory injunction.

“We want the logo to be placed and the election to start afresh. What we applied for today is for interim injunction restraining INEC as it is for now from proceeding until the needful is done,” Mr Shaba told journalists after the ruling.