Tribunal orders INEC to produce Plateau guber poll materials

The Plateau State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce the certified true copies (CTCs) of materials used for the election as requested by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Senator Gyang Pwajok.

Counsel to the PDP and its candidate, Barrister Israel Olorundare, had written to INEC, asking for the certified true copies of forms EC8(a) to EC8(e).

The applicants particularly asked for the CTCs and serial numbers of ballot papers used in Mangu, Jos North and Wase Local Government Areas of the state.

The PDP lost the April 11 governorship election in Plateau State to the APC, and Jos North and Wase are two areas where the APC recorded some major victories against the PDP.

According to the Motion on Notice before the tribunal, the PDP and its candidate had sought an order for INEC’s external forensic experts to inspect the materials. At the proceeding on Monday, INEC Head of Logistics, Mr. Frederick Ogmuji, said they received two applications in respect of the governorship election.

Delivering his ruling on the application, tribunal chairman, Justice Candide Johnson, ordered INEC to produce the requested materials to the applicants by 12:00 midnight of Thursday, 30th April, 2015, so that the applicants could file their petitions before the tribunal within stipulated timeline.