Tribunal dismisses Audu’s application

Johnson Babajide, Lokoja - 23.06.2008

The petition of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate in the re-run governorship election in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, may have suffered a setback following the dismissal of an application filed by his counsel, Dr Alex Iziyon (SAN), seeking a forensic test of ballot papers and other documents used for the election by the state election petition tribunal.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Abdullahi Yusuf, in his ruling on Saturday, said that the process of scanning electoral materials in the 18 local government areas of the state would be an unending exercise and hold down the trial of the petition.

Yusuf said that the petitioner should have taken the advantage of his earlier order to authenticate and arrange election materials, but failed to do so.

Audu had, through his counsel, filed an application seeking an order of allowing and/or permitting forensic and hand-writing experts to inspect the ballot papers, forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8D and EC8E and other forms and documents used in the election held on 29 March, 2008.

Justice Yusuf, who dismissed the application, adjourned to today, hearing of the petition.