Bayelsa/Kogi 2019 Election
Natasha Fights Back, Wants Bello Disqualified For Double Registration
By Emmanuel Aziken, Editor
Embattled Social Democratic Party, SDP candidate in Kogi State Natasha Akpoti has fought back at Governor Yahaya Bello with an application for an order of mandamus that he be barred from the election and prosecuted for the act of double registration as a voter.
Akpoti’s action is upon a court action filed at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court which he asked to disqualify the governor for his alleged acts of double registration. She said that the governor had invariably violated the Electoral Act and made himself an object for prosecution.
Barr. Akpoti’s action is being regarded as her act of vengnage following her claim that the governor was the one who masterminded her disqualification from the contest. She had claimed that the governor influenced INEC to disqualify her because she was the strongest threat to him especially in Kogi Central where both of them come from.
The suit entered as FHC/ABJ/CS/122/2019 was filed on behalf of Akpoti by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN.
In an affidavit of claims she personally swore to, Akpoti alleged that Bello registered on two occasions in 2011 and in 2017.
The SDP chieftain claimed that INEC had sacked two of its staff on account of the double registration of Bello and expressed wonder why the principal “culprit” had remained unscathed over the issue despite what she claimed as clear proof of his culpability.
Affirming her locus as a proper “indigene of Kogi State, a legal practitioner, an astute politician, a political reformer, a pro-masses advocate, a philanthropist and one deeply involved in and concerned with the parlous state of affairs of Kogi State people and Nigerians alike.”
She deposed that after his first registration in 2011 in Abuja, that the governor after coming to office as governor again registered in 2017 and that he also applied for the transfer of his first registration from Abuja to Kogi.
“The transfer was carried out and his Permanent Voters Card was issued to him on February 26, 2018, while his second registration at the Government House, Lokoja was and is still subsisting.
“That the 2nd defendant (INEC) had severally threatened to prosecute Mr. Yahaya Bello, the candidate of the 1st Defendant for the said act of double registration with the Commission (2nd Defendant), but failed to take any discernible action in stopping him from contesting the office of the Governor of Kogi state. Online newspaper publications of the statements of the 2nd Defendant to prosecute the candidate of the 1st defendant are herewith attached and collectively marked as Exhibit NAT – 3.”
She as such affirmed that Bello, “has by virtue of his double registration as a voter violated the provisions of section 24(e) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended”.
She thus pleaded for a declaration that Bello “is liable to be disqualified and/or barred from contesting, participating and/or voting in the forthcoming election being organised by the 2nd defendant on account of his wrongful violation section 24(e) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, which act of violation robs him of the capacity or vires to contest the forthcoming Kogi State governorship election.”
“an order to disqualify or bar” the governor from contesting the forthcoming election “or for any political office for the 10 years pursuant to his violation of the provisions of the section 24(e) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended”.
“An order of mandamus compelling and or mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (the 2nd defendant) to thoroughly investigate the act of double registration” allegedly made by Bello “and to immediately prosecute him upon the expiration of his first tenure of office as governor of Kogi State in January 2020”.
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