Inspection of Electoral Materials: INEC is frustrating us, APC candidate cries out

DELTA—The All Progressives Congress, APC house of assembly candidate in Delta State, for Sapele constituency in the April 11, 2015 election, Hon. Felix Anirah has cried out over alleged attempt by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials in Delta state to frustrate their case.

It would be recalled that the APC candidate has dragged the PDP candidate Mr Monday Igbuy, the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly to the State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Holden at Asaba challenging the declaration of Mr Igbuya as the to the winner of the election.

The chairman of the tribunal, Hon. Justice A. A. I Banjoko, had granted an order on July 8, 2015, for a joint inspection of the ballot boxes, ballot papers, used in all the Ward/Polling Units that make up the entire Constituency.

The court also made an order directing a recount   with particular reference to votes of the 1^st Petitioner/Applicant and the 1^st Respondent/Respondent, following a motion on notice filed by the counsel to the petitioner Barr. Ikhide Ehighelua, dated July 6^th, 2015.

Addressing newsmen in Sapele INEC office, counsel to the petitioner represented by Barr. Bukola Asema, frown at an attempt by INEC official to frustrate the petitioners right to inspect the electoral material as ordered by the court.

According to her, “we all agreed to meet here at INEC office in Sapele by 9 am, this morning, however we have been waiting and now is 3pm, and the EO, is yet to come, which is a clear case of breach of the court order, which directed that all parties should be in INEC office by 9am on July 21st-22^nd for joint inspection.”

She added that during the inspection at Asaba on July 14^th, 2015 that is how they waited for the most part of the day waiting for INEC officials.

According to her, “during our inspection at INEC office at Asaba on the July 15, 2015 we requested for the E-tracking report, but despite the court order, INEC officials at Asaba refused to provide the E-tracking report, this is another clear case of contempt of the court.”

Speaking also, a chieftain of APC in Sapele, Mr Famous Sagay alleged that by the conduct of the INEC officials in Delta State, “it is very clear that INEC have something to hide or might have been compromised, because they have consistently hid materials that will enable the petitioner prove his case and this is a sad commentary”. He noted.