Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal has granted the request of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to inspect all the sensitive materials including, Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used during the Saturday, 18 governorship election in the state.
The tribunal granted all the prayers of the state chapter of the NNPP in the motion ex-parte filed on Friday at the Isabo court in Abeokuta.
The NNPP had complained that, INEC only printed the logo of the party and omitted its name on the ballot papers used for the governorship election.
This, according to the party was a violation of the electoral act.
The party, however headed to the tribunal, asking to be allowed to make photocopies, scan and record all sensitive materials used by INEC in the just concluded governorship election in the state ahead of its petition.
The party hinted that, it would pray for the nullification of the 2023 election in the state for omitting its name and logo on the ballots.
The motion-exparte which was filed on Monday, March 20, 2023, was decided on Friday and a copy which was obtained by our correspondent on Monday, showed that the NNPP was an applicant while INEC, Abiodun and APC were respondents.
The motion ex-parte was supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the state chairman of the party, Olaposi Oginni.
Granting the prayers, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Argum Ashom agreed with the NNPP on the prayers.
He said “that materials constituting this ex- parte application, particularly the reliefs, the grounds and supporting affidavit all boil down to the fact that the applicant desires to challenge the elections conducted by the 1st respondents on the 18/3/2023.
“An order granting leave to the application to move this motion exparte before the pre-hearing session of this honourable tribunal.
“An order respondent to forthwith grant access to the applicants and their Solicitors, agents, experts and other staff to inspect, photocopy, scan, paid for and obtain certified true copies of all documents used by the 1st respondent for the conduct of the Ogun State Governorship Election, held on the 18 of March, 2023 for the purpose of instituting and maintaining an Election Petition; the said documents which are in the custody of the 1 Respondent, and as contained in the Schedule attached to the Affidavit in support of this application.
“An order directing the 1st respondent to promptly abide by the Orders of this Tribunal made in terms of this Exparte application.
“And for such other order(s) as the honourable Tribunal may deem fit to make in the circumstances.
“That in that effect the reliefs are granted as prayed.”
