The Anambra State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka, on Thursday, granted the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s candidate, Senator Andy Uba and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)’s candidate, Prof Charles Soludo’s prayers to inspect the materials used for the conduct of November 6 and 9th governorship election.
The tribunal, at the sitting, also strike out the petition by the candidate of the Accord Party, Dr Godwin Maduka after withdrawing his application.
The duo of Uba and Soludo had filed a motion exparte before the tribunal to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant them the permission to inspect the materials used in the conduct of November 6th and 9th governorship election in Anambra.
Uba, in his motion exparte filed by his lawyer Emeka Okafor, prayed the tribunal to compel INEC to allow him to inspect all the materials used in the conduct of the election including the Certified True Copies (CTC) of results.
The petitioner supported his prayer with a 15-paragraph affidavit and written address.
Also, Prof Soludo, through his lawyer, A. Ezeokenwa, supported his motion exparte with an 18-paragraph and written address.
He prayed the tribunal to allow him to inspect all materials used in the conduct of the election including access to CTC of the election results.
Ruling on Uba’s petition separately, the chairman of the tribunal, justice .D. Mohammed, said that the tribunal had considered the application and was satisfied and therefore ordered INEC to allow him to inspect the materials used in the conduct of the election.
According to her, the inspection must be carried out in the presence of the applicant, respondents, Police and Department of State Service DSS.
Also ruling separately on Soludo’s motion exparte, Justice Mohammed granted his petition to inspect all the materials used in the conduct of the election.
The chairman said that the tribunal, having listened to the application, is satisfied and urged the INEC to allow him access to inspect the materials for election, including the CTC of results.
The tribunal chairman also ordered that the inspection must be done in the presence of the applicant, respondents, Police and DSS.
In his motion of notice to strike out his petition, Maduka, through his lawyer N. D. Agu, urged the tribunal to strike out his petition, having lost interest in pursuing it.
He said that he was withdrawing the petition because he did not serve any of the respondents in the suit.
Maduka prayed the tribunal to strike out the petition since he is no longer interested in continuing with the petition.
Ruling on the motion, the chairman of the tribunal said that since the applicant had withdrawn his petition, the tribunal had no option other than to strike out the application.
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