The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to comply with a court order on the inspection of electoral materials of the February 25 presidential election.
Recall that the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Shagbaor Ikyegh, sitting in Abuja, had granted orders for access, inspection and examination of electoral materials of the February 25 presidential election by Mr Atiku.
The lead counsel of Atiku’s Legal Team, Joe-Kyari Gadzama, made the demand in a letter to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, on Friday.
According to Mr Gadzama, the legal team needs daily access to all polling documents, voters register, ballot papers and electoral forms/materials for purposes of scanning, forensic audit, expert examination and inspection.
Another demand, according to the legal team, included a daily access to the BVAS machines/devices and server/IREV/backend/clouds for purposes of forensic examination and analysis.
The legal team also needed, “CTCs of all BVAS accreditation reports, forms EC40A, EC8A, EC8AVP, EC8C, EC8D, EC8E and all other electoral forms/materials on a State by State basis,” the letter added.
Mr Gadzama lamented that despite the court order, the electoral commission did not allow Mr Atiku’s representative to commence inspection, examination and obtaining of the electoral materials.
He said: “On 6 March, our Clients’ representatives led by Adedamola Fanokun, Esq (office of the PDP National Legal Adviser) returned to the Commission ready to commence inspection, examination and obtaining of the electoral materials as ordered by the Court but they were informed at the Commission’s legal registry that there was no instruction yet from the Commission on the Court Order.
“Our Clients further requested audience with the Commission’s Director of Litigation to accelerate the process but they were not allowed as they were told by the Registry staff that the Director was in a meeting.
“Sadly, these and other efforts by our Clients have yielded no result.
“It is disturbing that despite service of the Court Order on the Commission since 3 March 2023, the Commission is yet to allow our Clients and their representatives to access, inspect and/or obtain the needed electoral materials as ordered by the Court despite repeated visits to the Commission and follow-up in respect thereof.
“No doubt, the Commission is bound by the orders of the Court and cannot choose if, when and/or how to comply with same.”
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