Key Highlights
- The candidates of PDP and APGA had approached the election petition tribunal seeking permission to inspect materials used for the election.
- They bought argued in their separate applications that the election was held not in compliance with the electoral Act 2022.
- The judge granted their application and ordered INEC to grant them access to the election materials used on March 18.
The Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Grand Alliance candidate have been granted permission to inspect documents used by INEC for the just concluded governorship election.
The candidates, Ifeanyi Odii ( PDP) and Bernard Odoh (APGA) were granted leave on Tuesday by the Ebonyi State Election Petitions Tribunal.
The duo approached the tribunal in separate petitions alleging that cases of violence and rigging were recorded during the election and that there was compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.
Backstory: Mr. Odili and Mr. Odoh had contended alongside the candidate of the All Progressive Congress that was declared winner of the governorship election in Ebonyi
However, INEC declared Francis Nwifuru the winner of the election after he secured a total of 199,131 votes.
While Mr. Odii secured a total of 80,191 votes, Mr. Odoh secured 52, 189 votes.
Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Mr. Odii and Odoh approached the election petition tribunal in Ebonyi state.
They approached the tribunal in an ex-parte application seeking leave to inspect the materials used by INEC in the conduct of the March 18, election.
While Odii’s lawyer told the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 86 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended Section 146 of the Electoral Act 2022 and paragraphs 47 of the first schedule of the Electoral Act 2022 under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
Odoh’s lawyer said theirs was brought pursuant to Section 146 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022, Paragraph 4 of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act of 2022, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the Court as referenced by Section 6 (6) A & B of the 1999 constitution.
They both prayed to the court to grant their reliefs sought in their separate applications.
Listed as respondents in the petition are; INEC, the APC, and the governor-elect, Nwifuru.
Lekan Ogunmoye, the Chairman of the three men granted both applications after listening to arguments from the applicants.
He ordered INEC to grant the duo access to inspect, scan and make photocopies for use of all the electoral materials that are in their possession.