The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital has granted leave to the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ifeanyi Odii and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof Bernard Odoh, to inspect documents used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the March 18 governorship election.
The relief was granted sequel to two separate ex-parte applications filed by Odii and Odoh, who came second and third respectively in the election.
INEC declared the APC governorship candidate Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru as the governor-elect
and Odoh approached the tribunal alleging substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 in addition to violence, rigging and over voting which they claimed marred the conduct and outcome of the election.
The duo in their separate statements after the election vowed to challenge the outcome of the results in court.
The counsel to Odoh, Mr Ubah Chukwu, in his argument on the motion prayed the court to grant the ex-parte application brought in pursuant of Section 146 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022, Paragraph 4 of the first Schedule of the law and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court as referenced by Section 6 (6) A & B of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The counsel to the applicant adopted all the averments contained in the affidavit and urged the court to grant the application.
In the other application, Odii’s lawyer, Adams Opoke holding brief for Chris Uche (SAN) also prayed the appellate court to grant the reliefs sought in the motion ex-parte in the interest of justice.
He stated that the motion was brought pursuant to Section 86 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Section 146 of the Electoral Act 2022 and paragraphs 47 of the first Schedule of the Electoral Act 2022 under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
Opoke also informed the court that they had deposed an affidavit and are relying on all the averments therein in urging the court to grant the application.
After listening to the applicants, the trial judge, Lekan Ogunmoye, subsequently granted the request of the two applicants.
