The Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) access to inspect all the materials used by the commission to conduct the March 18 Governorship election in Abia State.
The Tribunal equally ordered INEC to ensure that the BVAS machines, Forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C, EC8D, EC8E, electoral materials, collation officers report and all ballot papers used for the conduct of the election were not tampered with.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice M M Gwatana, also granted leave to the PDP to obtain the nomination forms submitted by all the political parties that contested the Governorship election in Abia State.
The order was sequel to a motion ex parte filed by CO Nwaogu and CC Nwogu, counsel for the PDP.
The PDP in Suit number EPT/AB/GOV/01/2023 is challenging the declaration of Dr Alex Otti as Abia State elect by the Independent National electoral commission (INEC).
Recall that Ikpeazu, while congratulating Otti after the latter was declared winner of the Governorship Election in Abia, had advised those who lost in the election, not to drag the Governor-elect to court, to give him room to perform.
In a surprise move however, Abia PDP in a statement last week, signed by its vice chairman, Abia North/acting Publicity Secretary, Amah Abraham, said it was heading to the Tribunal to challenge Otti’s victory.
The reason the party adduced in the statement for its U-turn was that despite the governor’s advise, some defeated candidates of Labour Party in the House of Assembly polls, dragged their PDP opponents to the Tribunal.