Festus Okoye, National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in charge of Publicity and Voter Education has replied the allegation of cordial relationship with Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara leveled against him by the All Progressives Congress.
Yekini Nabena, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC in Monday alleged that Okoye asked the commission to jettison the initial decision of supplementary elections in Bauchi State and resume collation.
Nabena stated that Okoye did this after discussion with Dogara who has left the APC for PDP.
Dogara and the incumbent governor of the state who doubles as the APC candidate have fallen apart with the former supporting Senator Bala Muhammed.
In an interview with The Punch, Okoye said he has only seen the Speaker once and it’s in a distance.
He asked politicians to refrain from making claims that lack basis, saying it is important to “stick to the issues and remain within the confines of available fact”s.
“I am a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and I graduated from the University of Jos in 1984. I was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985,” he said.
“The Hon. Speaker of the House Representatives graduated from UNIJOS in 1992 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1993. I had left UNIJOS before the Speaker entered the University.
“Secondly, I am 34 years post-call as a lawyer and have been in private legal practice for 34 years. I am a constitutional lawyer and civil society activist. I have never written a single letter on his behalf or filed any document on his behalf. I have seen the Speaker only once in person in a workshop and it was from a distance.
“Those that are making wild allegations do not know anything about me… the report of the investigation committee has been presented to the commission and the commission has accepted aspects of the report for implementation.
“Political parties should be circumspect in making allegations that are in the realm of fantasy. Parties should not make allegations that have no basis in fact and reality. It is important to stick to the issues and refrain from grandstanding.”
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