Tribunal orders INEC to provide Kogi election materials in 48 hours

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue, within 48 hours, the certified copies of electoral materials on the November 11 governorship election in the state to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The tribunal also ordered INEC to allow SDP’s forensic experts to examine some electoral materials.

The materials include Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result sheets for Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Kogi, and Bassa Local Government Areas.

The tribunal, in a ruling on Saturday, said the SDP requested the materials to prove its case in the petition it filed against the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, gave the order following two ex-parte motions filed on November 19 by the SDP and by its governorship candidate, Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka.

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Justice Birnin-Kudu said the order became imperative in view of the time constraints the tribunal had to discharge its mandate.

He said: “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.”

The SDP and Yakubu-Ajaka earlier filed seven ex-parte motions to support their demand but withdrew five and pursued two.

The lead counsel for 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.

Justice Birnin-Kudu, however, adjourned the case to Wednesday, November 29, for submission of report of compliance by INEC and continuation of hearing.

The SDP and Yakubu-Ajaka are challenging the victory of APC and its candidate, Usman Ododo, at the tribunal.

INEC declared Ododo as the winner of the election with 446,237 votes, while Yakubu-Ajaka polled 259,052 votes.

The Star