The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will appeal the federal high court order that voters registered with Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) participate in the March 18 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
The Commission stated that it has received the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, which ordered the two Appellants to vote with the Provisional Voter Cards.
The FHC in Abuja on Thursday ordered INEC to allow two electorates to use TVCs in the March 18 governorship election and the state assembly election.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu made the order while giving judgment in a suit filed by two aggrieved Nigerians who wanted to use TVCs in general elections without a Permanent Voters Card (PVC).
Justice Egwuatu said the order was made on the grounds that the plaintiffs were registered and held in the INEC database.
“The order is made to compel the defendant (INEC) to allow the plaintiffs to vote using the Provisional Voters’ Cards issued by the defendant, the plaintiffs having been duly captured in the National Voters’ Register database.
“A declaration made by this court that the plaintiff, has fulfilled all the legal requirements necessary to register and has been taken in the defendant’s (INEC’s) central database and manual, printed paper-based records or hard copy format of the defendant maintained the Register of Voters, the plaintiffs have the right to vote using the Provisional Voter Card in the upcoming 2023 Election,” the judge said.
Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of INEC, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission is taking immediate steps to appeal against the judgment of the court.
“INEC has been served with a copy of the judgment delivered today by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division which ordered the two Plaintiffs to vote with the TVC.
“The commission took immediate steps to appeal against the judgment of the trial court”, he said.