Tribunal Grants Agbaje Permission To Inspect Poll Materials

The Lagos State election petitions tribunal has granted leave to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, to inspect all polling documents and devices used for the April 11 election in the state. The tribunal chairman, Justice Sylvanus Oriji, granted the prayer of the petitioner while ruling on an application filed by Agbaje through his counsel, Clement Onwuenmonor. Justice Oriji also ordered the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide certified true copies of all polling documents including printed data from card readers in each polling‎ units in the state. The two orders were given out of five prayers filed by the petitioner‎ before the tribunal. The tribunal had earlier ‎taken the submissions of Agbaje’s counsel and that of the All Progressive Congress, Ademola Sadiq.‎ ‎In his reaction to the ruling, the APC counsel noted that the ruling was made on point of law. ‎Meanwhile, Justice Oriji has warned lawyers against delaying the petitions before it. He said the tribunal would not tolerate strategies aimed at delaying the expeditious hearing and determination of petitions by lawyers.