Sokoto: APC seeks tribunal to quash order on forensic exams of election materials

Sokoto state All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial Candidate in the Match 9, 2019 governorship election, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto and the party , have filed an application before the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Sokoto, seeking to quash some parts of the order it had earlier granted to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the PDP, to inspect electoral materials, especially the use of forensic experts.

The Tribunal had earlier granted an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to allowTambuwal and PDP, to inspect the electoral materials used for the March 9, 2019, Governorship election and the March 23, 2019, rerun poll.

In the order, INEC was directed to allow Counsels to Tambuwal and PDP, to undertake the inspection, and especially use forensic experts in doing so.

However, Counsels of Ahmed Aliyu and APC, led by Chief Jacob Ochidi , had at today’s sitting of the Tribunal filed a motion praying the Court to quash some parts of the order, especially the use of forensic experts.

Accordingly, Ochidi had prayed the Court to adjourn the hearing of the application, saying, ” we will not be able to proceed with the hearing of the application as we were only served with the 3rd Respondent’s counter affidavit and written address late yesterday.

“As Petitioners/Applicants, we intend to file a counter affidavit and written address on the 3rd respondent’s counter affidavit and written address and constitutionally, we have three days to do so, from the date of the service of the counter affidavit of the 3rd Respondent.

The Counsels to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Respondents, D. G. Dung, Jibril Osa Uwadiae and Bunyamba Lawan, respectively, said they have no objection and they have aligned themselves with the submissions of Ochidi .

Expatiating further, Barrister Abdulhamid Zubair, said they want parts of the order granted to Tambuwal and PDP quashed, ” because it is sundry and too wide beyond the powers of the tribunal.

” The Tribunal has no powers to grant such an order, especially allowing the use of forensic experts.

” The Tribunal has exceeded its powers and we want the Court to grant us the order, hence quash that part of the order”.