AFTER weeks of legal fireworks bordering on technicalities and modalities, the Edo State governorship election tribunal finally kicked off in Benin on Wednesday, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tendered documents on the party’s petition, and evidence of how the September 28 election was allegedly rigged in favour of the All Progressives Congress  (APC).

Alli, who noted that election petitions were largely documentary, tendered the documents he described as non-contradictory, adding that the onus was on the petitioners to prove their case with well-documented evidence.

Documents tendered by Alli were the Form EC8A, which contained the declaration of the entire results and as exhibits PO1; Form EC8D as exhibit PO2; Form EC8C as exhibit PO3 and Form EC8P, which contains 185 copies of results from wards in the 18 local government areas of Edo State as exhibit PO4.

However, lead counsel for INEC, Obaseki and APC, Onyinye Anumonye, Ken Mozia (SAN) and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) respectively, objected, arguing that respondents must be given time to examine and mark the documents, adding that respondents should also be availed of the petitioner’s schedule.

After conversing with his colleagues on the side of the respondents, counsel for the PDP, Yusuf Alli suggested that Thursday, Friday and Saturday be used to inspect the documents so that the petitioners could be allowed to tender their documents on Monday.

Counsel for the respondents agreed to the proposal upon which the tribunal adjourned sitting till Monday,  January 16.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has ruled on modalities to be adopted for the inspection and scanning of ballot papers by parties in the case.

The tribunal in its order stated that only one representative of each party should examine ballot papers after scanning, while inspection of ballot papers must commence between 9:00a.m and 6:00p.m and a period of break between 1:00p.m and 2:00p.m on week days.

The tribunal further ordered that absence or late arrival of any of the parties should not hinder scanning or inspection of ballot papers, saying inspection or scanning already done should not be repeated. It also stated that inspection or scanning must be conducted on Saturday between 10:00a.m and 4:00p.m.

Source: Nigerian Tribune