Section 139
Legal representation of Commission(1) Where the Commission has been joined as a respondent in an election petition, a legal officer of the Commission or a legal practitioner engaged by the Commission shall represent the Commission at the Tribunal or Court.
(2) A private legal practitioner or legal officer engaged by the Commission under subsection (1) shall be entitled to be paid such professional fees or honorarium, as the case may be, to be determined by the Commission.
This Section seeks to ensure that in all Election Petitions where INEC is sued as a party (Respondent), a Lawyer appears in Court to defend the INEC.
The Section provides for INEC to be defended by its either Lawyers in its Legal Department or Private Legal Practitioners engaged and paid by the Commission.
