APC gets Tribunal’s nod to inspect Ekiti election materials via @iKanzee_RR

Ado Ekiti—The governorship election petition
tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti, Wednesday
granted the application of All Progressives
congress, APC, requesting the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC, to allow
it unfettered access to inspect all electoral
materials used in the June 21 governorship
election.
The tribunal equally granted the motion of
APC to serve the governor-elect, Mr. Ayo
Fayose through a substituted means since the
court’s bailiffs were unable to serve the
petition to Mr. Fayose personally.
The three-man panel headed by Justice
Muhammad Sirajo, granted the order following
an exparte application by the lawyer
representing APC, Mr Kabir Akingbolu.
In the application brought in pursuant to
Paragraph 8(2) of the First Schedule of the
Electoral Act 2010, and under the inherent
power of the court, APC (the applicant) had
complained that efforts to serve Fayose by the
court’s bailiff had not been successful.
File: Ayo Fayose casting his vote during the
Ekiti governorship election.
The exparte motion was brought in pursuant
to Section 151 (1&2) and paragraph 47(1&2)
of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act 2010
as amended and was supported by a 15-
paragraph affidavit deposed to by Christian
Okoh, a lawyer.
Speaking after the ruling, Akingbolu told
newsmen that “The court has granted us an
order to use an expert in handwriting,
biometric data, and scientific analysts that
can examine the ballot papers to prove
whether the allegation we made is true or not,
which we believe will be successfully proved.”
Dissatisfied with the result of June 21
governorship poll in the state, Ekiti State APC
dragged  Mr. Ayo Fayose, winner of the
election and INEC to court challenging the
victory against its candidate and incumbent
governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
No date has however, been fixed by the
tribunal for the substantive suit.