The Kogi State Governorship Tribunal, which was convening in Lokoja, has postponed its meeting indefinitely while the electoral papers are being inspected.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was given a 48-hour deadline by the governorship tribunal during its most recent Saturday session to provide certified copies of election documents to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The SDP requested further time for the exercise at the hearing, which was continued on Wednesday. They stated that the INEC was assisting with the material inspection.
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result sheets for the local government areas of Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Kogi, and Bassa are among the items under inspection.
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The tribunal decided last Saturday that the SDP needed the requested papers to support its claims in the petition it filed contesting the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) victory.
The SDP and its governorship candidate, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka, filed two ex-parte motions, which resulted to the ruling being issued by the tribunal’s chairman, Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu.
Mr. John Adele (SAN), the petitioners’ principal attorney, had previously informed the court that while there had been some success in getting certified copies of the materials used in the six local government areas from INEC, there had been some hiccups that prevented the 48-hour deadline from being met.
At the election petition tribunal, the SDP and Muritala Yakubu are contesting the election victory of the APC and its candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo.
