Court Grants Ajaka, SDP Access To Kogi Election Materials

Counsel to the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the November 11 governorship election in Kogi, Muritala Ajaka, has been granted the leave of the Court to allow access to materials and all documents used in the conduct of the election.

Justice Yusuf Ado Birnin-Kudu who gave the order on Saturday, compelled the first respondent in the petition, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to comply within 24 hours.

The order followed an application filed by S.E Aruwa SAN, counsel to the plaintiff, who expressed his inability to access the documents, mainly 42 items, to proceed with his case.

He noted that efforts to access the documents at INEC offices in Abuja and Lokoja had proved abortive.

In his preliminary ruling, Justice Birnin-Kudu said the application was meritorious in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended and the Electoral Law 2023.

He therefore granted the application that the first respondent allow John Adele, SAN, and S E Aruwa SAN, counsel to Ajaka and SDP, certified copies of documents used for the governorship election within two days.

Equally, the prayers of Adele to compel INEC to also grant him access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electronic materials used within 48 hours was granted by the chairman of the Tribunal granted