The Elections Petitions Tribunal in Katsina State has ordered the inspection of documents used in the governorship election in the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Alhaji Musa Nashuni, had in an ex parte motion, filed by his Counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe, urged the tribunal to order the inspection of the documents and materials.
In his ruling, Justice Adamu Gulma, the tribunal Chairman, granted the petitioner’s application to inspect the documents and materials used for April 11 polls.
Gulma said: “INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner shall make available to the petitioners, their counsel and agents for inspection within seven days from the date of this order all the requested documents.
“All polling/election documents and devices including but not limited to card readers and memory cards used in the April 11, governorship election in Katsina State should given to the petitioners.
“Inspection shall be carried out at INEC office and shall be completed within 10 working days.”
The tribunal also ordered that INEC and its commissioner should certify all polling/election documents used in the April 11 governorship election required by the petitioner.
It further ordered that “the petitioner shall be allowed to subject all election materials used in the April 11, governorship election in the state to forensic examination”.
NAN reports that Adedipe had argued that the documents would to enable them to defend their petition.
Nashuni had challenged the return of Alhaji Aminu Masari of the All Progressives Congress as the governor-elect by INEC.
Nashuni maintained that at the time of the election, Masari was not qualified to contest the election.
He also claimed that the election was fraught with corrupt practices or non-compliance with the Electoral Act and that Masari was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes.
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