Appeal Court grants Atiku, Obi’s requests to inspect presidential electoral materials
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has granted requests of Presidential Candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) to inspect electoral materials used in the conduct of the presidential election.
Penpushing reports that the duo lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Presidential candidate and President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and alleged that the presidential election held on February 25, 2023 was flawed.
The election results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Pro Mahmood Yakubu stated that the Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated Atiku and Obi with 8.8 million votes
The duo, however, rejected the results and thereafter commenced their separate legal actions to challenge the outcome of the elections at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which acts as the Presidential Election Petition Court where the outcomes of presidential elections are challenged by aggrieved candidates..
Penpushing further reports that the aggrieved candidates both filed separate ex parte applications, praying to be granted access to inspect sensitive materials that the electoral commission used for the conduct of the presidential poll last Saturday.
The Chairman of the appeal panel, Justice Joseph Ikyegh, on Friday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow Atiku and Obi to inspect the electoral materials, having listed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu as defendants in the suit.
Penpushing also reports that the plaintiffs based their requests on provisions of the Electoral Act and the constitution in demanding an inspection of the poll materials, and queried Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) failure to electronically transmit the results of the presidential election from polling units to its IREV portal.
The lawyer of Obi, Presidential Candidate of Labour Party (LP) Alex Ejesieme,, sought six prayers while counsel of the Atiku, Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Ademola Faloku, put forward seven prayers.
Penpushing reports that the lawyers urged the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow them access to sensitive materials that were deployed for the presidential election.
The duo while justifying their requests argued that the documents would assist them in lodging petitions to challenge Tinubu’s emergence as president-elect at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja
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