Tobias Sylvester
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has rejected the request by the Atiku Abubakar and his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to be allowed to conduct forensic scanning and analysis of materials used for the February 23 presidential election.
The tribunal had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release the election materials to Atiku and his party, PDP, so that they will have access to all certified copies of the materials used in conducting the 2019 presidential election.
However, the tribunal refused to order the electoral body to permit forensic experts of the applicants to examine form EC48 and other relevant forms used for the election.
The tribunal said such request was beyond the scope of the provisions of Section 151(1) & (2) of the Electoral Act (as amended).
In the lead ruling read by the leader or the panel, Justice Abdul Aboki, said the request by Atiku and PDP to call experts to engage in forensic analysis and scanning of INEC materials was outside the scope of the meaning of inspection under Section 151 of the Electoral Act.
