2023: INEC Boss, Mahmood Yakubu Charged to Court Over Asset Declaration
- The chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu is on the verge of being involved in a serious controversy
- As the custodian of the electoral process in Nigeria, questions have been raised over why his asset has not been made public
- Meanwhile, a lawsuit has been filed against the INEC boss with the plaintiff seeking that the court should issue an order compelling his immediate asset declaration
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FCT, Abuja - A suit requesting the asset declaration of INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has been filed before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
According to a statement made available to Legit.ng on Monday, May 16, the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/33/2021, filed by the plaintiff, Emmanuel Agonsi is praying to the court to order the INEC boss to declare his asset.
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As gathered by Legit.ng, the plaintiff is praying to the court to issue an order to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) which was also added in the application to compel Yakubu to a declaration of his asset.
As contained in the suit, the plaintiff is seeking an order of mandamus directing and compelling the first respondent (CCB) either by its staff, officers, privies, servants, or otherwise howsoever described to issue, comply with and/or make available to the applicant or his privies or Counsel, information and details of the Assets Declaration Forms of the second respondent (Prof. Yakubu).
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Similarly, the asset declaration forms of second respondent’s (Prof. Yakubu) unmarried adult children kept by the first respondent as requested in the applicant’s letter of December 17, 2020; as well as accept payment of the appropriate fees from the applicant forthwith.
Plaintiff seeks asset declaration of Yakubu's unmarried adult children
Counsel to the plaintiff, Solomon Okon Apke, Esq, further prayed to the court to also grant another order of mandamus directing the CCB, either by itself, officer, staff or nominee to forthwith produce for the examination of the honourable Court certified copies of the Assets Declaration Forms of Prof. Yakubu and his unmarried adult children submitted to the first Respondent for the period of 2007 — 2012 and 2015 — 2020 and any other ones declared thereafter.
The plaintiff in the suit is also seeking the following reliefs:
"A declaration that the first Respondent has a statutory and public duty to furnish the Applicant information and details concerning the 2nd Respondent as contained in the Applicant’s letter of request dated 17th December, 2020.
"A declaration that the refusal or failure of the first Respondent to respond to or comply with the Applicant’s request as contained in his Letter dated 17th December, 2020 constitutes a refusal/failure of the first Respondent’s statutory and/or public duty to the Applicant and is therefore unlawful, illegal, abuse of powers, abuse of discretion and ultra vires."
Nomination forms: EFCC writes INEC, demands parties, other aspirants’ bank details
Similarly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked INEC to provide the APC, PDP and other aspirant's bank details following its latest investigation regarding the funds of political parties.
This move by the anti-graft agency is part of its efforts to unfold the source of funds used by aspirants and support groups in the purchase of the APC, PDP and other political parties' nomination forms.
Ahead of the 2023 elections, EFCC has reached out to two specific banks in the country demanding the details of accounts operated by the ruling APC and opposition PDP.
INEC chairman to join presidential race? Commission clears air
Meanwhile, there have been speculations that the chairman of INEC, Prof Yakubu Mahmood, is also on the verge to declare his presidential ambition.
However, the commission has denied these claims stating that Yakubu had no plans of joining the 2023 presidential race.
This was disclosed by the electoral commission in a statement shared on its official Twitter handle on Sunday, May 8.
Reacting to comments and insinuations in some quarters that Mahmood may just surprise Nigerians by picking the presidential nomination forms, the commission declared that “it will not happen”.
Source: Legit.ng
