A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 4 for hearing a suit filed by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue State against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over an alleged move to disenfranchise them in the 2023 General Election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order following a breakdown in the terms of settlement by the plaintiffs and the defendant.
INEC is the sole defendant in the suit filed on February 16 by Abraham Aporugha and 30 others, on behalf of all the IDPs from Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The plaintiffs had alleged that the electoral umpire had planned to deny them the opportunity to take part in the just-concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) which ended July 31.
They contended that INEC refused to provide them with polling units in their IDP camps, amounting to a violation of their constitutional rights.
The plaintiffs also said that INEC is in breach of its duties under Section 10(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act and Paragraph 15(c) of Part 1 to the Third Schedule to the Constitution.
They prayed the court to among others, compel INEC to register them, issue them with Permanent VoterCards (PVCs), and create polling units in their camps since they have been displaced from their various homes.
On July 22, the court asked the parties to find an amicable way of resolving the issue.
On Wednesday, however, counsel for the plaintiffs, Kalu Onuoha, informed the court that INEC was unserious about the directive.
The lawyer to INEC, Patricia Obi, countered that the plaintiffs were not the only IDPs in Benue state and that the commission couldn’t have singled them out for special treatment.
Justice Ekwo, in a short ruling, adjourned the matter until October 4 for hearing.
