JUST IN: PDP, Atiku ask tribunal to compel INEC to release election materials for inspection

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its presidential
candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have filed a motion to compel the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to surrender all
the materials that were used for the February 23 presidential
election, for inspection.

The motion ex-parte was on Tuesday lodged before the
Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal which will conduct its
proceedings at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja.

In the motion ex-parte dated March 4, Mr Atiku and the PDP,
applied for leave of the tribunal to allow them to inspect the
Voters Register, the Smart Card Reader Machines, Ballot Papers and
other vital documents that were used in the conduct of the
presidential election.

They equally prayed the tribunal to compel the electoral body to
allow their agents to scan and make photocopies of vital documents
used in the conduct of the election, for the purpose of
establishing alleged irregularities.

The Applicants, through their lawyer, Chris Uche, SAN, told the
tribunal that the reliefs sought against INEC was for the purpose
of filing and maintaining an election petition they intend to lodge
against the outcome of the 2019 Presidential Election.

The motion ex-parte motion was supported with a 12 paragraphed
affidavit that was deposed to by one Austin Akobundu, the director
of Contact and Mobilization of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential
Campaign Council.

Meantime, no date has yet been fixed for hearing of the motion
which has INEC, President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives
Congress, APC, as 1st to 3rd Respondents.

Details soon.

Police Ban Covering of Number Plates

The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has
proscribed with immediate effect the covering of Vehicle Number
Plates by all unauthorized vehicle users across the Country.

The IGP gave this order on Tuesday, 5th March, 2019, following
intelligence report that the unwholesome practice may be deployed
by some unscrupulous persons to aid the commission of electoral
related offences before, during and after the Saturday, 9th March,
2019 Gubernatorial/House of Assembly elections.

Apart from the above immediate possible threats to the polls,
the IGP also noted that the covering of Vehicle Number Plate
amounts to a clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other
relevant laws of the land. In addition, the act could also impact
negatively on national security and safety and has the capacity to;
heighten criminal activities, engender atmosphere of lawlessness,
shield perpetrators of crime and place unnecessary pressure on
security agencies in their routine crime prevention and monitoring
tasks.

The IGP therefore directs all Assistant Inspectors General of
Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the Zonal and
State Commands to strictly enforce the restriction order at their
various Areas of Responsibilities (AOR) and to ensure that all
defaulters are dealt with according to the law. The IGP also warns
that any security personnel found escorting their principal with an
unmarked vehicle or those with masked vehicle number plates will be
arrested and dealt with accordingly.

ACP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA