April 07, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State has complied with the directive of the Governorship and House of Assembly Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, ordering the Commission to allow the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to have access to all election materials used for the conduct of the March 18th governorship election.
The INEC, on Thursday, gave access to the lead counsel for the NNPP, Barrister Izunya Isaac Dale of Izunya Izunya & Co, and the party gubernatorial candidate in the state, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, 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.
It could be recalled that the National Secretary of the NNPP, Dipo Olayoku, through a letter dated 24th March, 2023, informed the office of Izunya Izunya & Co to be the lead Counsel in any petition concerning the March 18 elections.
Following this, the Ogun State chapter of the NNPP approached the Tribunal, and three Judges of the election tribunal granted the party’s request to inspect, photocopy, scan and record all sensitive materials used by INEC.
Justice Arum Igyem Ashom, Justice Eno Ikpi Ebri, and Justice Khadi Ibrahim Ya’u unanimously agreed in their ruling on the ex parte motion brought by the counsel of the NNPP, to allow the party to inspect the electoral materials.
In line with the Court’s ruling, the party lead Counsel, Izunya Isaac Dale, approached the INEC through a letter dated 5th April, 2023.
The letter addressed to the Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the heading: ‘Application to inspect and obtain certified true copies of electoral materials used in the conduct of Ogun State Governorship Election’ reads: “We are solicitors to New Nigeria People’s Party (hereinafter referred to as our client) and on its behalf, we write. A copy of our letter of authority is hereby attached for your kind consideration.
“We wish to bring to your notice that our client was graciously granted an order by the Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, on the 24th day of March. 2023, to inspect and obtain CTC of electoral materials used in the conduction of Ogun State governorship election. The said order is hereby attached for your kind consideration.
“Pursuant to the above order, we hereby apply for certified true copies of the following documents:
All INEC results sheets-form ECB Series; EC8 A, EC8B, ECBC, EC8D and EC8E; Certificate of return of the 2 respondents; Copies of Ballot papers used in the election.”
Consequent to this letter, the INEC, on Thursday, yielded to the request and allowed the lead Counsel, Izunya Isaac Dale, to inspect and make photocopies of all materials requested.
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
