Tribunal Grants Fayemi Leave To Obtain, Inspect Ekiti Election Materials

Tribunal Grants Fayemi Leave To Obtain, Inspect Ekiti Election Materials

Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti on Monday granted the governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi access to the electoral materials used for the recently concluded July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State.

The leave was granted to Dr Fayemi to inspect and obtain Certified True Copies (CTCs) of polling documents, ballot papers and other electoral materials used in the conduct of the poll.

It was consequent upon the motion ex-parte filed by Fayemi’s counsel brought under section 151 of electoral act in the defense of petition against his declaration by INEC as the winner of the governorship election.

Mr Abayomi Aliyu (SAN) who is the counsel Fayemi, listed eight grounds upon which the motion ex- parte should be granted argued that such would enable his client to prepare for necessary defense in the course of the matter.

The governor-elect is the third respondent in the case.

The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Babatunde Belgore who reviewed all the relief as sought by the third respondent, held that the court found merit in the application and subsequently granted them in the interest of fair hearing.

The respondent’s prayer to allow forensic expert to inspect by the way of machine electronic scanning, all ballot papers, voter registers and materials used for the poll was also granted by the Tribunal.

The PDP candidate Prof. Kolapo Olusola had last Friday filed a petition against the election of Dr Fayemi claiming that he polled the total number of lawful votes cast in the election.

The application which was filed on July 31, 2018, according to Justice Belgore was granted based on the following,

“That the counsel is seeking the order of the court to see the documents of the election materials.

“To make photocopy of the documents of the election materials.”

“To use forensic equipment to view the handwriting of the election result, and the fingerprint of the election materials.

“Request on the order of the court to obtain and photocopy all the election materials held on the 14th of July 2018 which is also in custody of the first respondent (PDP).

“To seek forensic experts, to access both machine and other materials used in the conduct of the election in order to defend the petition of the first respondent (PDP).

“To have all the materials used in all the pooling units of the election he said”

He said the application was granted on merit as it was approved also for the first respondent which is the People Democratic Party (PDP).