The chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye has confirmed receipt of the letter written by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) over the inclusion/exclusion of candidates of the All Progressives Party [APC] in Zamfara State.
INEC had initial claimed that it had not received the letter stating that the purported letter could be a fake document emanating from online media.
In the letter dated February 13, 2019, AGF Malami demanded a postponement of the Zamfara National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections candidates.
In the latest update, Mr. Okoye said:
“The commission has received the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation.
“The commission is studying the letter and the accompanying attachments.
“The commission will make its position known as soon as possible.”
Citing Sections 38 and 39 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2010, the AGF written to the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and advised that Zamfara elections be postponed.
He said the postponement would enable the Zamfara State APC to field candidates for all the positions.
The AGF further advised INEC to comply with the instructions forthwith.
But the INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzezi said the electoral umpire was yet to receive the letter.
He had said: “I said we have not received the letter, but when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. But for now, we have not received any such letter in INEC.
“It is in social media, how am I sure that it is not one of those social media gimmicks?
“I can’t comment on something I have not seen.
“I have made enquiries from the INEC chairman and he said there is nothing like such letter and he has not received any such letter.”