INEC through its National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, corrected Davido’s 24 hrs claim, saying the body has up to 14 days to issue CoR
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked the claim by popular singer, David Adeleke, better known as Davido that the law requires the body to issue a Certificate of Return (CoR) on or before 48 hours after the winner of an election has been declared.
Davido who is the nephew to the Osun State Governor-Elect, Senator, Ademola Adeleke, queried the timeframe for the issuance of a Certificate of Return to his uncle after winning the Osun governorship election.
Senator Adeleke who contested the July 16 election on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 403,371 votes to defeat the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 375,027 votes and 13 other candidates.
ALSO READ: BREAKING: INEC issues Adeleke Certificate of Return
The singer took to his Twitter page and demanded to know why INEC has not issued the winner of the election with a Certificate of Return after 48 hours as provided by the law.
Davido wrote, “48hrs after our @AAdeleke_01 victory at the Osun Gubernatorial elections, we are yet to receive our certificate.
@inecnigeria should we send you fuel money? LOL
“Please no one should tamper with the will of the Osun People!
“Issue the certificate as required by Law! 💡.”
Reacting to Davido’s claim, the commission in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, corrected the impression created by the musician, saying the commission has up to 14 days to issue the winner with the CoR.
He said, “Those that intervene and play roles in the electoral process should try to have basic knowledge of the constitutive legal instruments that guide and regulate the conduct of elections.
“The commission is a public trust and a creation of the Constitution and the law and must be seen to respond to public demands for transparency and openness.
“The commission will continue to uphold the basic tenets of transparency, openness and inclusivity in the conduct of elections and the delivery of electoral services.
“The Commission is not a political party and will not be swayed by partisan political interests. Section 72 of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that a sealed certificate of return at an election in the prescribed form shall be issued within 14 days to every candidate who has been returned by the Returning Officer in an election under the Act,”
