It Is Not Your Duty To Order Postponement Of Zamfara Election, Agbakoba Fires AGF Malami

Agbakoba Reacts To AGF’s Directive To INEC On Zamfara Election

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Olisa Agbakoba has submitted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a neutral body which cannot take orders from the federal government.

Agbakoba made the submission in reaction to the letter purportedly written by Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, in which he told INEC to postpone elections in Zamfara state because the case is in court.

In the letter, Malami asked INEC to postpone the elections and allow APC to prepare for the polls since the courts ruled that primaries were held.

However, Agbakoba said it is only the APC that can make such a request from the electoral body.

He also reminded Malami that President Muhammadu Buhari had promised non-interference in the activities of INEC.

The legal luminary, in a letter dated February 14 as made available to Naija News by Niyi Odunmorayo, his media assistant, Agbakoba said he expects Malami to withdraw his letter to INEC.

“I am shocked by your letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the above subject. You are the Attorney General of the Federation and not the Attorney General of INEC.

“INEC is an independent institution and cannot take directives from the Federal Government. If there is need for the postponement of the Zamfara state elections as indicated in your letter, the proper person to request the postponement is the All Progressive Congress (APC).”

“In any case, Sections 38 and 39 of the Electoral Act 2010 which your request is based on have nothing to do with postponement of elections.”

“President Mohammadu Buhari has at various fora undertaken that the Federal Government will not interfere with INEC. Your letter puts that commitment to question.”

“It is my hope that this letter will be immediately withdrawn.”

Similarly, Agbakoba addressed another personally signed letter to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, asking him to disregard Malami’s letter.

“I am shocked by the Attorney General’s letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the above subject.”

“INEC is an independent institution and should not take directives from the Attorney General of the Federation or the Federal Government.”

“If there is need for the postponement of the Zamfara state elections, the proper person to request the postponement is the All Progressive Congress (APC). In any case, Sections 38 and 39 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which the Attorney General’s request is based on have nothing to do with postponement of elections.”

“INEC should disregard the Attorney General’s letter,” Agbakoba said.

Meanwhile, Naija News earlier reported that INEC denied receiving a letter demanding for the postponement of the Zamfara State National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

The commission stated that the letter could be a fake document stirred from social media.