A legal practitioner, Mrs, Jayne Eriata and 1,430 others have dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before a Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State over their denial of permanent voters cards by the commission before the last general election.
Eriata and others, who are claiming N20 million as damages are from Ward 10, Ekpon Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.
Joined with INEC as respondents in the suit are the National Chairman of the commission and the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Edo State.
Already, INEC has appeared in court to defend the action before Justice T. Liman, but asked for a short adjournment to enable it file its counter affidavit to the application.
When the matter came up, the respondents represented by Miss Imoesi Susan pleaded for adjournment to enable them file their counter affidavit to the application while Mrs. F. O. Uhunwa-Orhue, who represented the plaintiff did not oppose to the adjournment.
Trial judge, Justice Liman adjourned the case to November 30, 2015 for definite hearing, while he directed the respondents to file and serve their counter affidavit within seven days.
In the motion, the plaintiffs are praying the court to determine whether the refusal or neglect in issuing the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to the applicants thereby denying her the right to vote for the candidate of their choice in the March 28, 2015 presidential and National Assembly election and that of the House of Assembly constitute a gross violation of Articles 13 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Right (Enforcement procedure) Act 1981 Cap A9 LFN 2004.
They also want the court to compel the “respondents, their officers, agents, servants, privies or otherwise howsoever to forthwith issue and/or release the Applicant’s Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in custody of the Respondents.”