The Young Democratic Party (YDP) has filed a law suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over its abysmal perfromance in the Wednesday, September 28, 2016 gubernatorial election in Edo state, alleging the electoral body of disenfranchising its voters.
The Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mrs
Evelyn Okere, made this known at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, September 29, 2016.
Evelyn Okere, made this known at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, September 29, 2016.
Mrs. Okere attributed the poor number of votes scored by party to
the failure of INEC to display the correct logo of the party on the ballot
paper.
the failure of INEC to display the correct logo of the party on the ballot
paper.
“We lost a lot of votes because our voters did not know
where to vote and this has cost us a lot; we prepared very well for this
election.
where to vote and this has cost us a lot; we prepared very well for this
election.
“We did our campaign; we went from house to house
campaigning in Edo for our candidate and for us to be treated in this manner is
unacceptable and we will take it up,’’ Okere said.
campaigning in Edo for our candidate and for us to be treated in this manner is
unacceptable and we will take it up,’’ Okere said.
She noted that the reason given by INEC as to why it did not
use the party’s preferred logo was not in conformity with the Electoral Act.
use the party’s preferred logo was not in conformity with the Electoral Act.
The party spokesperson said that INEC had written a letter
to YDP informing the party that it could not use light bulb as its logo.
to YDP informing the party that it could not use light bulb as its logo.
INEC, she said, was processing the logo for the registration
of Socialist Party of Nigeria as a political party.
of Socialist Party of Nigeria as a political party.
Mr Raphael Sebibo-Horsfall, a Board of Trustees member of
the Party, however, said that the provision of Section 82 was that no political
party should use the logo of another political party.
the Party, however, said that the provision of Section 82 was that no political
party should use the logo of another political party.
Sebibo-Horsfall noted that the said political party was
still undergoing registration, and not a fully registered party.
still undergoing registration, and not a fully registered party.
He said that the YDP would want the court to determine
whether by provisions of Section 82 subsection 2(a) INEC could deny it
continued use of its adopted logo on the grounds that the said logo was under
processing for registration by an association as political party.’
whether by provisions of Section 82 subsection 2(a) INEC could deny it
continued use of its adopted logo on the grounds that the said logo was under
processing for registration by an association as political party.’
He added that the party went to court with the hope of
getting a judgment that would invalidate the entire election because its
teeming supporters were disenfranchised.
getting a judgment that would invalidate the entire election because its
teeming supporters were disenfranchised.
“You will agree with me that the logo of a party is the
symbol of the party.
symbol of the party.
“So when our members went out to vote and did not see our
logo on the ballot paper, they were greatly disappointed and cried out.”
logo on the ballot paper, they were greatly disappointed and cried out.”
He added that INEC had denied the youths in Edo an
opportunity to elect their leader and it would be unfair for the commission to
go ahead to announce a winner in the election.
opportunity to elect their leader and it would be unfair for the commission to
go ahead to announce a winner in the election.
He added that the party would follow every necessary legal process to get justice for its members.
