A Kogi State High Court presided over by Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, on Monday in Lokoja nullified the local government election held in May 4, 2013 for improper composition of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission.
The trial judge also ordered the local government chairmen to hand over to the most senior director in each of the 21 Local Government Areas of the state with immediate effect.
The Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress had dragged the state government, KOSIEC and the defendants before the High Court to contest the composition of the state electoral body and subsequent conduct of the local government election by the former chairman who was allegedly a card-carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The trial judge said the constitution was designed by the lawmakers to promote the principle of fairness, independence and transparency.
He said that it also expressed the notion of neutrality, adding that these were not abstract notions as the notion of independence.
He held that the actions of KOSIEC, its chairman and other members were contrary to section 200(1) of 1999 Constitution as amended, adding that the composition of KOSIEC was unconstitutional, illegal and void.
Ajileye said, “As an umpire, the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission must not only be neutral but should be manifestly seen to be neutral…
“I therefore hold that the membership of 4th and 5th defendant of 3rd defendant including the contest of primaries by the 4th defendant under the platform of the 9th defendant (the PDP) compromised, irredeemably, the integrity and neutrality of 3rd defendant to hold the May 4,2013 local government election in Kogi State.”
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