Court allows Bauchi APC candidates to check electoral materials

The Governorship, National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Bauchi on Friday granted leave to Kani Faggo of the APC, to access sensitive materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Feb. 25 NASS election.

Faggo contested and lost the Shira/Giade Federal Constituency election.

A three man panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi gave the order in Bauchi sequel to an ex-parte application filed by the candidate and his party.

Those joined in the matter were INEC, Mr Sani Tanko and his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)..

The Lead Counsel to the applicant, Ishaq Magaji, SAN, prayed the court to compel INEC to allow his client to obtain documents in the Commission custody used for the election.

He said the documents would aid his petition against the emergence of PDP’s Tanko as winner of the election.

In his ruling, Kpochi said that the application has merit and granted accordingly.

He, therefore, ordered INEC to make available all the election materials used for the conduct of the Shira/Giade Federal Constituency election to the applicant and his agents.

“The petitioners are to take certified copies and conduct manual and physical inspection of all the electoral materials used in the conduct of the National Assembly election into the office of a member, House of Representive of Shira/Giade Federal Constituency held on the 25th February, 2023”.

Meanwhile, the tribunal granted leave to the APC’s Gali Maji to access election materials deployed by INEC for the Katagum Federal Constituency election.

The petitioner, through his Counsel, Ishaq Magaji, SAN, said the order would enable him and his party to inspect all the election materials used by the electoral umpire in preparing their petition.

Also cited as respondents in the matter are the winner of the election as declared by the Commission, Mr Auwalu Gwalabe, the PDP and INEC.

While granting the order, Justice Wilfred Kpochi said that the application has merit.

He, therefore, granted a leave to the petitioner and his agents to approach INEC and take certified copies of the election materials used in the Feb. 25 Katagum Federal Constituency election.