Tribunal order INEC To Allow CPC To Inspect Election Materials

[Davo]

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja Tuesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) election materials needed by the party for inspection and analysis to enable it substantiate its claim that the presidential election was rigged.

When hearing resumed Tuesday, parties informed the tribunal that after a meeting that lasted four hours among the lead counsel, they had agreed that the electoral body should release to the petitioners the materials requested by them.

The panel consequently granted the application.
The panel had on Monday ordered all the parties to go back and harmonise their applications in order to expedite the hearing of the petition before the expiration of the time provided by the Electoral Act for hearing and determining a petition.

But counsel to CPC, Ebun Shofunde (SAN), asked the tribunal to allow the petitioner to inspect the materials polling unit-by-polling unit.

He said the party's consultants who would carry out the biometric inspection wanted the ballot papers arranged polling booth-by-polling booth.

He said petitioners would prefer that INEC arranges the ballot papers in batches polling unit-by-polling unit.

However, counsel to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), as well as counsel to INEC, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), opposed Shofunde's request.
They insisted that the inspection must be done in accordance with the agreement earlier reached by the parties.

The earlier agreement reached by all the parties was that necessary ballot papers be inspected by the petitioner.

The panel consequently refused the petitioner's prayer to amend the earlier agreement reached by the parties.

The panel directed the parties to conduct the inspection in accordance with the agreement reached. It however added a caveat: that the parties should report any hindrance or disagreement encountered in the course of the inspection.

Source: ThisDay.

[naos]

This is a good move. At least, it will clear the coast.