2023: Ogun tribunal permits NNPP to inspect sensitive electoral materials

By Christiana Ekpa

The elections petition tribunal sitting in Ogun State has granted the request by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to inspect all Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and other sensitive materials used for the 2023 elections in the state.
The Ogun tribunal granted all the prayers of the NNPP in the motion ex-parte filed on Friday at the Isabo court in Abeokuta.
Recall that Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been declared winner of the March 18 gubernatorial election held in Ogun.
But, the NNPP went to court, adding INEC, Abiodun and the APC as respondents.
The motion ex-parte was supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit deposed by the State chairman of the party, Olaposi Oginni.
The NNPP had complained that INEC did not print the name of the party/logo on the governorship ballot papers, as prescribed by the Electoral Act.
The party asked the tribunal to allow it make photocopies, scan and record all sensitive materials used by INEC in the March 18 governorship election, ahead of its petition.
NNPP stated that it would seek the nullification of the governorship election in Ogun due to the omission of its name on the ballot papers.
Granting the prayers, the Chairman of the tribunal, justice Argum Ashom agreed with the NNPP on the prayers, “in that effect the reliefs are granted as prayed.”