The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will appeal the judgment of a federal high court mandating it to allow registered voters with Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) to participate in the March 18 Governorship and States Assembly Elections.
The commission stated that it had received a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, which ordered it to allow two Plaintiffs to vote with their Temporary Voter’s Card.
An FHC in Abuja on Thursday ordered INEC to allow two voters to use TVCs in the March 18 governorship and state houses of assembly elections.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu made the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by two aggrieved Nigerians seeking the use of TVCs in the general elections in the absence of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Justice Egwuatu said that the order was made on the grounds that the plaintiffs were duly registered and captured in INEC’s database.
“An order is made compelling the defendant (INEC) to allow the plaintiffs to vote using their Temporary Voter Cards issued by the defendant, the plaintiffs having been duly captured in the National Register of Voter’s database.
“A declaration is made by this court that the plaintiffs, having fulfilled all necessary legal requirements to register and having consequently been captured in the defendant’s (INEC’s) central database and manual, printed paper-based record or hard copy format of the defendant’s maintained Register of Voters, the plaintiffs are entitled to vote using their Temporary Voter Cards in the forthcoming 2023 General Election,” the judge said.
Reacting, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission is taking immediate steps to appeal against the judgment of the trial court.
“INEC has been served a copy of the judgment delivered today by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division which ordered it to allow two Plaintiffs to vote with their TVC.
“The Commission is taking immediate steps to appeal against the judgment of the trial court”, he stated.
