PLATEAU: Tribunal orders INEC to supply PDP’s Useni documents to support petition

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been ordered to give the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Plateau State, Sen. Jeremiah Useni relevant documents to support his petition.

The order was issued by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which sat on Thursday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, telling INEC to give Useni documents he needs to support his petition filed before the tribunal.

An oral application was also made by senior counsel to the petitioners Barr Edward G. Pwajok, SAN, during sitting, informing the tribunal that INEC had so far failed to fully comply with its earlier order to make available to the petitioners Certified True Copies of forms, Voters Registers and “any other relevant documents the applicants may request for the purpose of instituting and/or maintaining the applicant’s petition.”

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According to Barr Pwajok, even after the petitioners had paid INEC the sum of N4 million to make materials available, INEC was yet to allow his team full access to all the requested election documents, saying: “This is very unfair, my lords.”

When Hon Justice Saleeman, sought to know why INEC had only partially complied with its order, INEC counsel ,Clement Onwuenwunor said rather weakly that, “we are working on it.

“It is never our intention to deny the petitioners access to documents validly in our custody. We assure the honourable court that we will liaise with the petitioners and comply accordingly.”

Justice Saleeman then countered that even if INEC was unable to allow access to the relevant documents, it must state so and explain it in writing to be brought to the notice of the tribunal.

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