Tribunal grants ACN’s application for inspection of Ondo election materials

By Abimbola Ayobami

The candidates

 The Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, Thursday, granted the application of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and its candidate, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to inspect the election materials used by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the October 20 election held in the State.
The application, filed and argued by ACN’s lawyers, was granted as prayed.
The Justice A. Kaka’n led Tribunal directed INEC to make all documents used for the election available for the inspection of the Petitioners at its Alagbaka Office, Akure as from 10 a.m. every day.
The Tribunal urged counsels to maintain decorum and peace during the inspection.
The Tribunal Chairman also ordered the Police to provide security for lawyers during the said inspection.
Similarly the Tribunal granted the application of Governor, Segun Mimiko of Labour Party, LP, to inspect the INEC materials.
The election tribunal ruled that the ACN and Mr. Mimiko’s inspection at the INEC office shall run concurrently and the absence of any of the parties will not bar the other from continuing with the inspection.
The Tribunal directed INEC to allow the petitioners and 1st Respondent to inspect, make copies, certify all election materials and scan by electronic process the used and unused ballot papers.
The Tribunal overruled Mr. Mimiko’s counsel, Olumide Ayeni, objections to some of the document to be inspected by the ACN.
Mr. Ayeni claimed that some of the document itemized by the Petitioners for inspection was not used for the October 20 Governorship Election.
But, Justice Kaka’n ruled that the objection is premature at this stage of inspection and should be reserved till the trial stage of the petition.
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