THE APPEAL COURT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT INEC ON HOW TO COMMUNICATE ELECTION RESULTS.

Tunji Wusu –

The Electoral Act granted INEC’ very extensive discretionary powers’ to choose how it wants to transmit or transfer election results, according to the Court of Appeal in Lagos’ ruling.

The determination was made by the appeal court as it overturned a Federal High Court decision ordering INEC to electronically and instantly transfer the results of the Governorship and State Assembly elections from the polling places to the IREV.

The appeals court, which was presided over by Justice Abubakar Umar, also referred to the lawsuit as an abuse of the legal system. It was brought by the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, together with 41 other parties.

Justice Olukayode Bada and Justice Onyekachi Otisi, the other two justices on the panel, agreed with the court’s ruling, which found that the authority to create a regulation or guideline implies the authority to revise or modify it.