Innu candidate challenging election result

Simon Pokue, the man who lost the race for Grand Chief of the Innu Nation by 99 votes, is challenging the result of the Sept. 25 election.

Prote Poker, a former chief in Natuashish, won the election with 644 votes to Pokue's 545.

Pokue said there were all sorts of problems with the Innu Nation election. He said some candidates campaigned on election day, which is against the rules. He said there were no mail-in ballots. Instead, Pokue said people had to phone in their votes, whichviolated voters' privacy.

Healso alleged that some candidates were buying votes.

"Illegal drugs were being distributed for a favourable vote," said Pokue.

In his application filed in Federal Court, Pokue said election officials didn't do enough to investigate the claims and disqualify candidates who were engaged in behaviour that was against the rules.

Pokue has hired a lawyer, but a judge has yet to hear the case.

"I don't know how long that's going to take, but hopefully the sooner the better," he said.

Pokue said hewants thecourt to ordera new election.