The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has faulted the comment of music star, Davido, over the time frame for the issuance of a Certificate of Return to winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Davido had lamented that 48 hours after his uncle was declared winner of the election, he is yet to be issued certificate of return.
Replying in a statement, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC) of the commission, Festus Okoye, said INEC has up to 14 days to issue an election winner a certificate.
He said, “Those that intervene and play roles in the electoral process should try to have basic knowledge of the constitutive legal instruments that guide and regulate the conduct of elections.
“The commission is a public trust and a creation of the Constitution and the law and must be seen to respond to public demands for transparency and openness.
“The commission will continue to uphold the basic tenets of transparency, openness and inclusivity in the conduct of elections and the delivery of electoral services,” Okoye said.
Other officials of the commission told Daily Trust that INEC would present the CoR to Senator Adeleke on Wednesday.
“The National Commissioner in charge of Ogun, Ondo and Osun states, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, is still in the state and would likely present the CoR to the governor-elect tomorrow (Wednesday) in the state.
“The commission has 14 days according to the law of the land and the 2022 Electoral Act, to issue the CoR to winners of elections,” the official who pleaded not to be named said.
The official said that the provision in Section 71 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, gives INEC the liberty of up to 14 days after an election before issuing the winner with a return certificate.
The section reads, “A sealed certificate of return at an election in a prescribed form shall be issued within 14 days to every candidate who has been returned by the returning officer in an election under this Act”.
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