Keyamo gives INEC ultimatum over Obiano’s multiple registration

Lagos Lawyer, Festus Keyamo has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 24-hour ultimatum to prosecute Willie Obiano, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for Saturday’s Anambra gubernatorial election.
A petition on Tuesday and addressed to the Chairman, Attahiru Jega, stated that INEC through its National Commissioner for Election Monitoring, Dr. Ishmael Igbani, confirmed in late October that the Commission had “detected 93,526 multiple registration cases in Anambra State” and had promised to prosecute everybody involved in the act.
Keyamo recalled that it was discovered that Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie had earlier registered at Ifako/Soluyi Ward 2, Polling Unit 060 – Junction of Ramot Oluwakemi Street, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State, and therefore guilty of multiple registration.
The lawyer asked INEC to immediately commence the process of prosecution of the said “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie”, warning that failure to do so will make his chamber apply for Mandamus to compel the Commission to carry out its statutory duty.


Read full letter below.
12th November, 2013
Chairman,
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Zambezi Crescent
Maitama,
Abuja
Dear Sir,
CASE OF MULTIPLE REGISTRATION CONTRARY TO SECTION 12(1) OF THE ELECTORAL ACT 2010 (AS AMENDED)
REQUEST TO PROSECUTE SUSPECT (“OBIANO, MADUABUCHI WILLIE”)
Our services have been retained by the All Progressives Congress (APC) (hereinafter “our client”).
You will recall that your Commission had in the recent past emphasized its readiness to prosecute some unscrupulous persons who indulge in multiple registrations as voters. We refer to a statement credited to the INEC National Commissioner for Election Monitoring, Dr. Ishmael Igbani, who said late October that the Commission had “detected 93,526 multiple registration cases in Anambra State ahead of the November 16 governorship election.” Further, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu had last August assured that the Commission would prosecute 72 out of some 93,526 cases of multiple registrations recorded in 2011 in Anambra, saying that the move would serve as a deterrent to other intending electoral offenders in the state.
His words: “We have their names, pictures, addresses and gradually all of them will be caught and prosecuted but we are starting with 72 persons. The state police command had been notified.” Till date, no single person has been arraigned or prosecuted by your Commission. This has emboldened more persons – including the subject of this complaint – to engage in this unwholesome criminal act.

Accordingly, there is a case presently in the said Anambra State that puts your Commission’s resolve to test. This is the case of one “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie,” a voter registered at Otuocha Ward 1, Polling Unit 004, Eri Primary School 1 of Anambra East Local Government Area. From the Voters’ Register made available to all the political parties including our client, the said “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” was issued a Voter Identification Number (VIN) 90F5B12B88377091121 at 2:18 pm on August 21, 2013. Further, the said Obiano was again issued with another Voter Identification Number 90F5B15E7D378200332 at exactly 10:25 am on September 3, 2013.
It is instructive that save for the fact that the said “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” was wearing different clothes on the said dates, all other particulars relating to the “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” remained the same. For instance, in both voter’s cards, the suspect was registered as “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” while his address was “No. 1 Chief Willie Obiano Street, Otuocha.” The date of birth was also recorded as 08.08.1955 on both cards while the age was recorded as 56. The watermarks on both cards clearly showed the different voter identification numbers as well as different issuing dates and times. The name “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” was unchanged. Find attached copies of documents evidencing the said double registration at Otuocha Ward 1.
Also, it is now public knowledge that the said “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” had earlier registered at Ifako/Soluyi Ward 2, Polling Unit 060 – Junction of Ramot Oluwakemi Street, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. His Voter Identification Number (VIN) is 90F5B12B01296204172 while his serial number on the Voters’ Register is 416. Find attached a copy of the document evidencing the said registration at Ifako/Soluyi Ward 2 of Lagos State.
It is noteworthy that this matter is already in the public sphere. Further, your Kayode Idowu alluded that the Commission is already aware of this egregious breach of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), but is reluctant to prosecute the suspect. Section 12(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides, for ease of reference, as follows: “A person shall not register in more than one registration centre or register more than once in the same registration centre.” Also, Section 12(3) enacts that “A person who contravenes the provision of subsection (2) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or imprisonment.”
Having regard to the above, we hereby give the Commission a 24 (twenty-four) hour ultimatum to commence the process of prosecution of the said “Obiano, Maduabuchi Willie” failing which we shall on behalf of our client apply for Mandamus to compel the Commission to carry out its statutory duty.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation and necessary action.
Yours sincerely,
FESTUS KEYAMO, ESQ.
Head of Chambers