The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of a letter in circulation signifying its decision not to participate in the appeal against the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal judgement.
According to reports, the commission’s Head of Legal Department in Kano, Barrister Suleiman Alkali, who signed the letter in circulation, said it was the tribunal secretariat that requested INEC to write the letter.
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“The letter was mischievously requested by the Tribunal Secretary and I wrote to them for a purpose and they deliberately escalated it. The letter had been withdrawn. It no longer has legal backing,” he said via a text message to a Newspaper.
When a Newspaper contacted the tribunal secretary, there was no respond; however, an official at the tribunal registry said that the letter was never submitted.
“We did not receive anything here and if they claim that, they should produce the acknowledged copy.
“When he (the HOD legal) approached us with the issue via phone we said no and asked him to put it formally in writing.
“However, we are not the ones to entertain that but our head office in Abuja. We also work under directives of our superiors,” one of the officials, who asked not to be mentioned confirmed.
Recall that a Notice of Appeal was filed on behalf of INEC on October 3 by the law office of Dikko & Mahmoud, the law firm of A.B Mahmood (SAN), a former president of the Nigeria Bar Association. This was confirmed on Saturday.