Katsina legislators: Lawyer writes Mark, Tambuwal

Category: News Published on Monday, 21 January 2013 06:00

The leadership of the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be summoned tomorrow if they fail to comply with a Federal High Court order in Abuja asking them to reinstate some CPC legislators.

Barrister Yahaya Mahmood (SAN), counsel to Sen. Abdu Yandoma said in a letter to the National Assembly that Justice G.K Olotu gave a clear judgment in favour of his clients on January 11, 2013, directing that they should be reinstated as CPC legislators representing Katsina State in the National Assembly.

According to Mahmood, “the order of the honourable court was served on each one of you. A copy of the order with evidence (proof) of service to your office is attached.’’

The counsel also wrote separate letters to the National Assembly and INEC, “stating in clear terms the declaratory orders granted by the court.’’ He also wrote to the director of legal services of the federal legislature on January 17.

Rather than comply with the court order, National Assembly officials informed the senator that INEC “must write another letter withdrawing the fresh return it gave to the defendants and issue fresh returns to the plaintiffs,’’ Mahmood noted.

According to him, the National Assembly officials’ explanation is contrary to the court order, insisting that the explicit order of the court “is that the fresh returns issued to the defendants are voided.’’

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria then warned that if by tomorrow the court order is not complied with, “we shall have no option than to formally request the court to summon you to come and explain why you refused to comply with the court order.’’

Senator Abdu Umar Yandoma and nine others had gone to court to challenge INEC’s withdrawal of their certificates of return, thereby losing their seats in the National Assembly.

The legislators from Katsina State sought seven reliefs, including a declaration that INEC lacks the power to review their returns by virtue of Section 68(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.