The leadership of United Patriots (UP) has described as sad and unfortunate, the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject its notice of Party Primary for the Ekiti State Governorship election scheduled for June 18, 2022.
The national chairman of the party Chukwudi Ezeobika Esq in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Abuja said the party views with serious concerns the decision by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu led-INEC to undermine the very integrity of the Nigerian Judiciary.
He said it is also an utter disregard for jurisdiction of the Courts to wrongly and unlawfully exclude United Patriots from the scheduled Ekiti State gubernatorial election despite the subsistence of the unanimous Judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered by its President on the 10th of August, 2020.
He said the judgement had affirmed the corporate existence of United Patriots as a duly registered Political Party in Nigeria.
“Having rejected our letter dated 4th December, 2022 sent to it today 4/1/2022 notifying it of the venue, date and time of our Party Primary for Ekiti State, INEC has once again affirmed its disdain and disregard for the Rule of Law and disobedience to subsisting Judgement of the Court of Appeal.
“We as a responsible political Party shall explore all legal options open and available to us to ensure that our rights under the Nigerian Constitution are fully protected and that such abuse and affront on the Judiciary by INEC is curtailed.