Ekiti election tribunal: Incomplete inspection of documents by respondents stalls hearing

The Ekiti Governorship Election Tribunal was on Tuesday forced
to adjourn until Wednesday due to the inability of the respondents
to complete inspection of electoral materials, the petitioners
tendered.

The petitioners, the Peoples Democratic Party, and its candidate
in the Ekiti July 14 governorship election, Prof. Olusola Kolapo
had approached the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the
election.

The respondents in the suit are the All Progressives Congress,
Kayode Fayemi, the eventual winner of the election and the
Independent National Electoral Commission.

Adebayo Adelodun (SAN), a member of the petitioners’ legal team,
sought for adjournment after he tendered some certified true copies
of Permanent Voters’ Registers for three local government
areas.

Adelodun sought for the adjournment as the respondents were yet
to complete inspection of the materials already tendered.

Justice Suleiman Belgore, chairman of the tribunal, adjourned
the case until October 24 for continuation of hearing.

The petitioners tendered certified true copies of PVRs for 100
units from three local government areas.

Earlier, Roland Otaru (SAN), another member of the petitioners’
legal team had complained that the respondents’ counsel was not
cooperating on the issue of inspection of the electoral
materials.

The senior advocate stated that the inspection by the
respondents was too slow, saying that, “it took them like one hour
to inspect PVR of one unit.”

Counsel to INEC, Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan (SAN), stated
that it was not true that the respondents were not cooperating with
the petitioners.

Other respondents’ counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) and John
Olusola Baiyese (SAN), aligned themselves with the submissions of
INEC’s counsel.

(NAN)