The Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, the state capital, on Saturday, requested the Independent National Electoral Commission to grant access to election materials to the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party,, Murtala Ajaka.
The order followed an application filed by S.E Aruwa, SAN, expressing the inability to access documents, mainly 42 items used in the conduct of the state governorship election, to proceed with his case.
According to Aruwa, all efforts to access such documents at the INEC offices in Abuja and Lokoja had proved abortive, hence, the need for an order of the tribunal to proceed with the case.
The presiding tribunal Judge, Justice Yusuf Birnin-Kudu, said the application was meritorious in accordance with the Constitution and the Electoral Law 2023.
He granted the application that the first respondent, INEC, grant counsel for Ajaka, led by John Adele, SAN, and Aruwa, SAN, access to certified copies of documents used for the governorship election within two days.
Also, the chairman of the tribunal granted the prayers of Adele to compel INEC to also grant access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and other electronic materials used within 48 hours.
Speaking after the ruling, Adele expressed optimism that INEC will comply with the ruling of the tribunal.
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