Nigeria, April 16 -- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will not be in any "illicit" liaison with any individual or group.

The commission said this in reaction to an allegation by the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Shehu Sani.

Mr Sani had accused INEC of hiring a personal lawyer of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State to represent it at the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kaduna.

The senator and the governor are political rivals.

INEC in a statement on Monday by its national commissioner, Festus Okoye, explained it has a list of external solicitors engaged for the prosecution of pre and post-election matters.

These solicitors, INEC said, are based...