Three Judges of the Ogun 2023 Governorship Election Tribunal last Friday granted the request of the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party to inspect, photocopy, scan and record all sensitive materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the just concluded governorship election in the state.
The three judges namely; Justice Arum Igyem Ashom, Justice Eno Ikpi Ebri, and Justice Khadi Ibrahim Ya’u unanimously agreed in their ruling on the exparte motion brought by the counsels of NNPP to allow the party inspects the INEC’s materials.
NNPP had dragged the INEC before the Ogun State Tribunal over an alleged omission of the party’s name on the ballot papers used for the governorship and assembly elections held in the state.
The party also dragged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Dapo Abiodun, and the party as respondents in the petition filed before the tribunal.
The party last week Tuesday filed a Motion Ex parte seeking an order of the court to move the motion before the pre-hearing session of the tribunal.
NNPP also prayed the court to direct INEC to grant the party access to inspect, photocopy, scan, pay for, and obtain certified true copies of all the documents used in the conduct of the governorship election held on March 18, 2023.
Giving the ruling which was signed by the tribunal chairman, Justice Arum Igyem, and his secretary, Abdulsalam Julde, the tribunal granted the reliefs sought by NNPP.
The rulings of the Ogun Governorship Tribunal reads in parts, “Upon this Motion Exparte dated 20th March 2023 and filed on the same day coming up before the Tribunal, and upon reading the 8-paragraph affidavit in support, deposed to by Comrade Olaposi Ogimni.
“And after hearing P.I Ogah, ESQ appearing with Joseph Simon, ESQ for the Applicants; it is hereby ordered as follows;
“That materials constituting this Ex- parte Application, particularly the reliefs, the grounds, and supporting affidavit all boils down to the fact that the applicant desires to challenge the elections conducted by the 1st Respondents 18/3/2023. on the
“That in that effect the reliefs are granted as prayed.”
An independent Source very close to the workings of the Judiciary predicted that the Tribunal may nullify the Ogun 2023 Elections on these technical Grounds.
