APC counters PDP, gets approval for inspection of presidential election materials

The All Progressives Congress has asked the presidential election tribunal to grant it permission to inspect documents used for the 2019 presidential elections across the country.

The election held on February 23, and was won by President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC. The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party has rejected the result and is challenging the outcome in court.

The APC made the application in an obvious response to the request recently granted the PDP by the tribunal.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday evening, the deputy head of the APC’s legal directorate, Mamman Yusufari, confirmed that the party had requested to inspect the election materials.

Mr Yusufari said the APC had discussed making the same application before now. He did not give further details on the matter.

“I have confirmed that they have filed the application. It’s an ex-parte motion, just like the one by the PDP,” he said.

Multiple sources within the Court of Appeal, which hears presidential election petitions, confirmed to this newspaper Thursday evening that a three-member panel led by Abdul Aboki heard the application and granted same.

“They are two applications, one by President Buhari and the other by the APC,” said one of the sources.

The tribunal had granted a similar request by the PDP to allow it inspect documents used for the compilation of the presidential results.

In the application filed by the PDP through its lawyer, Chris Uche, the court asked the panel to allow it inspect the materials and conduct forensic investigations on same.

But the panel only granted permission to inspect the materials without allowing for forensic audit.