The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kogi State has adjourned, pending the completion of the inspection of election materials by the Social Democratic Party.
Recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman, won the election with 446,237 votes, while his closest rival, Yakubu-Ajaka, secured 259,052 votes.
The Tribunal had earlier ordered INEC to issue certified copies of electoral materials from the November 11 off-cycle election in the state to the SDP within 48 hours.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) stated that INEC was cooperating with the inspection of materials as granted by the order of the Tribunal but sought more time.
The Tribunal also ordered INEC to allow SDP’s forensic experts to examine some electoral materials. These materials include the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and result sheets for Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Kogi, and Bassa Local Government Areas.
The tribunal, ruling in Lokoja on Saturday, stated that the SDP requested the materials to prove its case in the petition filed against the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, gave the order following two ex-parte motions filed on November 19 by the SDP and its governorship candidate, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka.
Justice Birnin-Kudu, at the resumed hearing, adjourned pending the completion of the inspection of materials.
Lead counsel to the petitioners, Mr John Adele (SAN), had earlier informed the court that efforts to obtain certified copies of materials used in the six local government areas from INEC had been fruitful, except for a slight hitch, leading to a delay in meeting the 48-hour deadline.
The SDP and Muritala Yakubu are challenging the victory of APC and its candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo, at the election petition tribunal.
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