The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has withdrawn 25 Certificates-of-Return issued to some candidates that won during the 2019 general elections. The decisions to withdraw the certificates were based on court orders.
The Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, said this at a `Forum on Media Coverage of 2019 General Elections’ held in Enugu on Monday.
Mr Okoye said that 20 of the 25 certificates-of-return were withdrawn from All Progressive Congress (APC) members to other APC members; while two from People Democratic Party (PDP) members were withdrawn and issued to other PDP members.
He said that the other three were withdrawn from APC and PDP and given to other political parties.
“Before we left INEC national headquarters on Friday; the commission has withdrawn 25 certificates-of-return from the first owners to their new owners following court orders to do that,’’ he said.
Mr Okoye, however, lauded the media for its openness and robust engagement with the commission before, during and after the election. He said the media had become critical stakeholders for the success of future elections.
He noted that the media had become the first line of reach of the masses as well as the platform for the explanation of INEC political and electoral decisions.
Mr Okoye, therefore, called on the media and its practitioners to dig deep into the Electoral Act to ensure that the import of the recently amended sections is made known to the public.
“The media should also centre on the aspect of using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve electoral issues especially at the party levels instead of going to the court,’’ he advised.