It has been reported that the governorship election Tribunal sitting in Kano on Tuesday has ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) access to all electoral materials used during the gubernatorial poll.
The gubernatorial candidate of PDP Abba Kabiru Yusuf was challenging the declaration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s of the All Progressives Congress APC as winner of the 23rd March supplementary election in Kano. Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had defeated Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf of the PDP in the controversial supplementary poll with over 8,000 margin.
In an exparte motion filed before the tribunal, Counsel to PDP candidate, Barrister Maliki Umar Kuliya sought the order of the tribunal, to direct the first respondent (INEC) to allow PDP access materials used for the conduct of 9th and 23rd March, 2019 governorship elections.
In her five count prayers, the PDP lawyer, wanted the tribunal ” directing the 1st respondent to forthwith grant access to the petitioners/applicants and their solicitors, agents, experts and other staff to inspect, photocopy, scan, pay for and obtain certified
copies of all the documents used by the 1st respondent for the conduct of the Kano state governorship election held on the 9th March, 2019 and 23rd of March 2019, for the purpose of instituting and maintaining an election petition; the said documents being the ones contained in the schedule attached to the supporting affidavit to this application”
In her ruling, Justice Halima Shamaki granted the PDP prayers, and subsequently directed INEC to surrender photo copies, scan and other certified materials used during the conduct of Kano elections. The chairperson of the three members governorship tribunal however ordered for two or three members of APC (respondent) as observers during the inspection exercise.
PDP still has less than five days to file her petition against the ruling party, having exhausted almost 15 days out of the 21 days provided by electoral Act. 2010 as amended.
Recall that the Governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kano has received 33 petitions from the just concluded 2019 General Elections in the state. The Kano Election Tribunal has revealed that no political party or candidate has stepped forward to challenge the victory of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Nayai Aganaba, disclosed this at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal on Thursday in Kano. He said that the 33 petitions were for State House of Assembly and National Assembly elections, adding that there were no petitions yet on the governorship election.
Aganaba appealed to parties in the tribunal to cooperate in order to ensure that the 180 days allotted for the petitions pending before it was judiciously spent. He promised that the tribunal would be free and fair in the dispensation of all election matters. In his welcome address, the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Mukhtar, assured the judges of adequate security and conducive working environment to enable them discharge their duties.
Speaking earlier, the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA),Kano State Chairman, Mr Lawal Musa, assured the full support of lawyers to make the job of the tribunal easier. Musa called on lawyers in the state to respect time and not delay the process because of the limited time the tribunal had. NAN reports that the tribunal which commenced sitting on Thursday, has Justice Ashu Augustine and Justice Mustafa Tijjani as members.
Source: Independent Nigeria/Pulse.ng
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