Adebayo Adenrele
The Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal has ordered Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to grant All Progressive Congress (APC) the permission to access the electioneering materials used for the concluded June 18 gubernatorial election in the State.
NEWSTODAYNG reported that Barrister Kabir Akingbolu, holding the brief of Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN had brought a motion exparte in pursuant to Section 6(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, Section 47(1) of the first schedule of the Electoral Act, Section 146(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honourable tribunal.
“An order granting leave to the 2nd respondent/applicant to move the applicant outside the pre-hearing session”
“An order of the tribunal permitting the applicant or its agents for the purpose of defending the petition, to take certified copies and conduct manual/physical inspection of all electoral materials used in the conduct of the Governorship election into the office of the Governorship of Ekiti State held on 18th June, 2022, in all the 16 local governments areas of Ekiti State”
“An order directing the 4th respondent and any other agents of the 4th respondent to allow the applicant and/or its counsel to inspect and if deemed necessary make/procure certified true copies of the BVAS, accredited voters, print-outs, scanned and transmitted documents, among others.”
However, the chairman of the tribunal, Hon. Justice Wilfred I. Kpochi, in his ruling, granted the prayers of APC, who is the 2nd respondent/applicant in the suit likewise the oral application by Akingbolu.
Justice Kpochi, while granting the ex-parte motion, stated that it is germane for the applicant to defend the petition, urging INEC to grant access to APC to inspect all documents used for the conduct of the Ekiti Governorship Election.
