February 24, 2009
Human rights activist and president of the West African Bar Association, Mr. Femi Falana, has said he will drag the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu, to court, for fraud.Speaking with P.M.NEWS, in Akure, Falana said, “we are filing an action in the next two days to get the EFCC to prosecute Iwu for financial and economic crimes, totalling billions, as well as the diversion of public funds, stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.
“We are aware of plans to confirm him for another term in May, 2009. We are not going to wait and watch a dubious man imposed on us again. Iwu has to go and if he refuses, we will force him out because we are already in touch with labour and the student movements to get him out of the office,” Falana said.
He lamented that the country’s electoral umpire has created a situation whereby the judiciary is left to determine the fate of some candidates who, in the process of reclaiming their mandate, undergo serious trauma, harassment, intimidation and enormous financial implications.
Mr. Falana suggested that this should be the last time the determination of electoral disputes be transferred to the courts when it could be determined by the ballot box, same day of the election.
“That is why we have to lead the struggle for a new electoral reform that would make an election one man, one vote, with the result determined on the day and venue of the election,” he said.
In his own remarks, the governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, described the retention of Prof. Iwu as a national embarrassment. He said it was shameful that Iwu has not resigned his appointment or got kicked out office by the Federal Government, despite the numerous judicial indictments on the elections he conducted.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });