Correct Your Nebulous LG Elections Timetable, Obono-Obla Tells CROSIEC
By Ebi COLLINS
Former presidential aide and legal luminary, Okoi Obono-Obla, Esq. has on the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) to correct its recently released election timetable to avoid litigations that may lead to the invalidation of the entire process.
The Yakurr-born politician and public affairs analyst, who fielded questions from journalists in reaction to the timetable released by CROSIEC on 25th September 2024, to kickstart activities that would culminate in the Local Government councils elections in Cross River State, described the document as 'nebulous,' stressing that if it is left uncorrected, the state electoral umpire would have succeeded in widely opening its flanks for politicians, political parties and other concerned Cross Riverians to challenge the process on grounds of CROSIEC flouting section 2OA of its own Law.
"CROSIEC, must as a matter of urgency, explain why in its timetable, no provision was made for registered political parties to comply with section 2O of CROSIEC Law (supra) and also stipulates that a political party that failed to furnish CROSIEC notice of its Congress to nominate candidates for the election such candidate would disqualified and the Party would be barred from participation in the elections.
"This time table is faulty because there is provision made for registered political parties to give 21 days notice in writing to CROSIEC of their intention to hold congresses to nominate their candidates for the election as provided by section 29 of CROSIEC Law (2002) (as amended)," he stated.
Wondering whether the omission was a deliberate act or an oversight, the vocal legal brain advised CROSIEC to take steps to correct such error to save Cross River from impending legal battles that may further affect local government administration in the state.
At the presentation of election timetable at CROSIEC office, the Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River, Venatius Ikem, also questioned the election referee's preposterousness to rush over conducting local government polls with no recourse to extant laws.
The PDP leader assured CROSIEC that his party would only take part in the election in order to gain more impetus to challenge the process, that, he said, was already wearing a clandestine cloak.
