Tribunal has fixed a date to rule on Bola Tinubu and APC’s request to inspect INEC election materials.
GoldenNewsNg reports that the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has scheduled ruling for 2pm on Wednesday on the motions by the President-elect, Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for leave to inspect materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for last presidential election.
A three-member panel, presided over by Justice Joseph Ikyegh, chose the date and time after lawyers to Tinubu and APC – Akintola Makinde and Omosanya Popoola – moved the four ex-parte motions they filed.
Recall, Tinubu, through his lawyer, Akintola Makinde, said he would need to inspect, scan and make photocopies of some of the electoral materials to enable him to prepare his defence against petitions seeking to nullify his electoral victory.
“The materials will be relevant in helping us to prepare our defence and also make comparison with the information contained in INEC’s back-end server,” Makinde said.
Also, at the sitting, the Tribunal said it would deliver ruling on the application by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking it to vary its order granted to Labour Party and People’s Democratic Party to access materials used for the 2023 presidential poll.
A three-man panel of the Appellate Court fixed date to rule on the matter after listening to the arguments of the parties involved.
INEC, had through its counsel, Tanimu Enuwa, SAN, informed the court of its Motion on Notice and written addresses filed and dated March 6 as well as an affidavit and exhibits attached to substantiate their application.
Adopting their written addresses and other documents as their brief of arguments, the electoral body asked the court to grant the application.
When asked by the court how they wanted the order varied, INEC maintained that their affidavit demonstrated the effect the order will have on the coming Governorship and State Assembly elections
“We will run into constitutional crises if you have the elections conducted outside the constitutional time,” INEC stated.
Also, INEC wanted the order to inspect sensitive election materials varied in accordance with Section 122 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
