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The House of
Representatives has approved a Resolution to question the leadership of
the Independent National Electoral Commission for rejecting some
candidates presented for elections by political parties.

The House
committees on Electoral Matters and Justice, have one week to seek
explanations from the chairperson of the commission, Attahiru Jega, and
other officials, especially the legal commissioner, Phillip Umeadi, on
why court orders on candidates’ replacements have not been adhered to,
the House ruled on Wednesday.

The electoral body
has come under criticism from politicians since it ended replacement of
candidates by their parties in February, leaving open substitution
occasioned only by death, voluntary withdrawal or court rulings.

While political
parties say the electoral body, by law, lacks powers to decide on who
is fielded for elections, the commission has insisted that its mandate
includes upholding the Electoral Act’s definition of a “candidate”,
which requires the person to have been chosen through elections.

At the ratification
of code of conduct for political parties on Tuesday, many officials of
the parties said they were opposed to the commission’s new regulations
since the electoral body had refused to recognize the candidates they
sent.

Mr Jega, the
chairperson of the commission, replied that the commission’s position –
largely different from the past – is anchored strictly on the content
of the Electoral Act which he said does not permit imposition of
candidates.

Mr. Jega explained that once the order for replacement comes from the courts, the commission is bound to obey.

The lawmakers, many
of them victims of the issue – having lost the primaries and subsequent
effort to have their names inserted – dabbled into the prickly matter
yesterday with some calling for caution while others markedly condemned
the body.

“The commission’s
attitude of accepting some candidates and rejecting others against
valid and subsisting court orders cast doubts in the minds of Nigerians
against its role as an impartial arbiter in the conduct of free, fair
and credible elections in Nigeria,” said Ehioge West-Idahosa, the
sponsor of the motion.

His position was
supported by Elizabeth Ogbaga, (PDP, Ebonyi) and Sokonte Davies
(PDP,Rivers State) and Bala Na’alla (CPC, Kebbi State).

Mrs. Ogbaga, however, blamed the courts for continually issuing arbitrary injunctions.

But in the matter
regarded by other lawmakers as morally touchy for the House to take a
position on since some members may be in the elections, the electoral
commission found a host of defenders who rather berated the politicians
for failing to play by the rules.

“If anybody feels
that INEC is disobeying court order, the option is file a contempt
charge, so we cannot make any conclusion on this matter here. The
processes of the courts are there for all to follow,” said Leo Ogor, a
member from Delta State.

The motion scaled the pressure, and authorised an inquiry of the commission’s position on choice of candidates.