A three-man panel of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja is currently hearing the ex-parte motion filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, seeking an order granting them access to inspect the electoral materials used for the February 23 poll.
The three-man panel, sitting on Wednesday, is led by Justice Abdul Aboki, while Justices Peter Ige and Emmanuel Agim are members.
The petitioners’ legal team is led by Mr. Livy Ozoukwu (SAN), but Chief Chris Uche (SAN), is making submission on behalf of the team.
As expected in an ex parte hearing, the respondents – President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission – are absent and not represented by their lawyers.
Uche said during the Wednesday’s hearing the ex parte motion contained six prayers, one of which is seeking the tribunal’s leave to bring the motion before the pre-hearing session.
He added, “Prayers 2 to 6 are in summary seeking orders of this honourable court to allow the inspection and production of election documents used by the Independent Electoral Commission for the conduct of the presidential election to enable the applicants to institute and maintain an election petition.”
