Kogi tribunal gives INEC 48-hour ultimatum to grant SDP access to election materials
The governorship election petition tribunal in Kogi has given INEC 48 hours to issue certified copies of electoral materials on the Nov. 11 off-cycle election in the state to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
It also ordered INEC to allow SDP’s forensic experts to examine some electoral materials.
The materials include the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and result sheets for Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Kogi and Bassa Local Government Areas.
The tribunal ruled on Saturday in Lokoja that the SDP requested the materials to prove its case in the petition it filed against the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the election.
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, gave the order following two ex-parte motions filed on Nov. 19 by the SDP and by its governorship candidate, Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka.
Mr Birnin-Kudu said the orders became imperative in view of the time constraints the tribunal had to discharge its mandate.
“The order is in compliance with Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and with the Electoral Act (2022).
“INEC is hereby ordered to produce all the documents being sought by the plaintiffs within 48 hours to enable proceedings to go smoothly and without hitches,’’ he declared.
SDP and Mr Ajaka earlier filed seven ex-parte motions to support their demand but withdrew five and pursued two.
Lead counsel to the petitioners, John Adele (SAN), had earlier told the court that efforts made to obtain certified copies of materials used in the six local government areas from INEC had been fruitless.
“Time is of essence in this matter, and that is why we filed the motions to your lordship to help to salvage the situation.
“Each time we approached INEC since Nov. 13, its officials failed to avail us with even one of the electoral materials for which we requested.
“We believe that if your lordship grants our application, INEC will do the needful to enable us to prosecute this case within the time limit,’’ he prayed the tribunal.
Mr Birnin-Kudu adjourned the case to Wednesday, Nov. 29, for submission of the report of compliance by INEC and continuation of the hearing.
The SDP and Mr Ajaka are challenging the victory of APC and its candidate, Usman Ododo, at the election petition tribunal.
INEC declared Mr Ododo as the winner of the election with 446,237 votes, while his closest rival, Mr Ajaka, got 259,052 votes.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
States
Army seeks traditional rulers’ intervention to tackle crime in Plateau
The commander assured the monarch of a comprehensive assessment of the challenges.
States
Police arrest two suspects over drug supply, rescue 17 minors in Bauchi
Mr Habib said police operatives conducted a search and recovered 12 packs of rubber solution from the suspects.
States
South-East commission delivers relief materials to Abia flood victims
Mr Ogbede said the donation also included diapers for children and sanitary pads for mothers affected by the flooding.
States
Niger: Woman allegedly poisons co-wife’s children over inability to bear child
The police arrested a woman for allegedly poisoning her co-wife’s children in Takuti village, Lapai Local Government Area.
Politics
Tinubu lists economy, education, healthcare as priorities if re-elected
Mr Tinubu commended Mr Wike and the people of Rivers for massively expressing their resolve to support his re-election bid.
Politics
While laying foundation for university in 1993, Tinubu was forfeiting $460,000 drug proceeds in U.S.: Atiku
Mr Abubakar dismissed Mr Tinubu’s latest attack on his investment in education as a desperate attempt to distract Nigerians from his administration’s failure.
