Court stops INEC from issuing certificates of return Two senators, 10 Reps-elect affected

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday refused to give 12 of the 53 persons elected in the just concluded general elections in Katsina State their certificates of return, following a court order. The 41 others were given their certificates of return by INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. Among those denied the certificates were two Senators- elect and 10 elected members of the House of Representatives.

Jega said the commission was restrained by court to present the certificates to the 12 candidates. Jega, represented by INEC commissioner in charge of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, Ambassador Ahmed Moh’d Wali, said: “The commission, being one that recognises court order, has no option than to abide with the order.” He said 14 political parties participated in the elections in the state and that 10 contested for the governorship poll of which the ruing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won. He said nine parties contested for three senatorial zones which were won by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), while 11 parties participated in the state assembly election.

Those given the certificates of return include Governor Ibrahim Shema (PDP), Senator Abu Ibrahim and five elected members of the House of Representatives and 34 for the House of Assembly. Shema commended INEC for conducting credible elections, despite the huge challenges before the commission. He, however, condemned the post-election violence which erupted in some parts of the North in the wake of the presidential poll in which many people were killed, including some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). In Borno State, 42 winners of the general elections were given their certificates of return. Among them were 28 elected into the House of Assembly, 10 elected into the House of Representatives, three senators-elect and the governor-elect. Presenting the certificate to the winners at the INEC head office in Maiduguri, the state capital, INEC Commissioner in charge of Borno, Yobe and Bauchi states, Col. Mohammed Hammanga, urged them to provide good governance to the people.