16th March, 2012
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed 20 March for the re-run election into Anambara South Senatorial district.
Mr Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, said the date was decided at a meeting of the commission in Abuja on Thursday.
It said that the decision followed the recent verdict of the Court of Appeal in Enugu, and urged all stakeholders to abide by the rules to ensure free, fair and credible election.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu had on Tuesday quashed the appeal filed by Chief Andy Uba of the PDP challenging the decision of the election petition tribunal which nullified his election.
Uba’s election as senator representing Anambra South was nullified in December by the tribunal in its ruling on the case instituted by APGA’s candidate Mr Chuma Nzeribe.
Justice Abdulkadir Jega, who led four other justices on Tuesday, ruled that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter, as the 60 days allowed by law to determine the case had lapsed.
“The Supreme Court has decided that when words of the constitution are unambiguous, they must be given natural meaning as there is nothing to interpret.’’
The judge, therefore, struck out the case for lack of jurisdiction, thereby paving the way for INEC to fix Tuesday, March 20 for the poll.