Tribunal Grants Sokoto PDP Governorship Candidate Access to Inspect INEC Election Materials

Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Sokoto on Tuesday acceded to request by Malam Sa’idu Umar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party to inspect electoral materials used by INEC during the  March 18 Governorship election in Sokoto State. 

Umar and the PDP, who participated in the election and lost to the All Progressives Congress Governorship candidate Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto,  alleged that the election was flawed. 

Umar and the PDP are challenging the outcome of the election at the governorship election petition tribunal Sokoto. 

The petitioners filed six ex parte applications praying to be granted access to inspect sensitive  materials that INEC used for the conduct of the Governorship poll.

The chairman of the tribunal Justice Haruna Y Mshelia  upon reading and hearing the motion paper with the sworn affidavits ordered that the application be granted. 

 That the 4th respondent (INEC) its agents and officials are directed forthwith in a day by day sequence to allow the applicants or their representatives to inspect, scan, obtain the true copies of all polling documents and other electoral materials used in the conduct of the Governorship poll in Sokoto on the 18th March 2023.

The INEC is also orderd to allow the applicants inspect and forensically analysed devices used during the Governorship election in Sokoto on the 18th March 2023 and obtain information as exhibit during their cases before the Tribunal .

The tribunal also ordered the INEC to comply with the order within reasonable time having regard to the time bound nature of the case.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Governorship election petition tribunal in Sokoto, Justice Haruna Y Mshelia has granted leave for the hearing of the application before the hearing season.

Pursant to the leave, a leave is futher granted to the applicant to serve the 1st, 2nd, 3rd respondents by substituted means by pasting the petition and all other processes on the notice board of the tribunal or pasting them on the gate of the 3rd respondent (APC) in the Sokoto metropolis. 

The service when effected is deemed to be properly served on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondent.

He also ordered the Bailiff to file affidavit of compliance with the orders.