Paul Ibe, the media aide of the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has explained why the PDP and Atiku withdrew the court application they filed to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow their agents inspect documents used for the February 25 presidential election.
Ibe, who said it had become pertinent to make clarifications, explained in a statement on Wednesday night, that the withdrawal was due to events that overtook the application.
Recall The PUNCH reported that Atiku wrote to INEC, demanding the commission to obey the court order and allow him to inspect the election materials used for the February 25 elections.
The Court of Appeal had earlier directed INEC to allow him and his representatives to inspect, scan, make copies, forensically audit and obtain Certified True Copies of all electoral materials used in the conduct of the presidential election.
Ibe said, “The Court of Appeal had granted the request of Atiku and the PDP to be granted unfettered access to the INEC documents used for the presidential election.
“On the 10th of March, 2023, Atiku and PDP filed a motion (number 12M) ex parte and affidavit of urgency to ensure the implementation of the court order. The court, however, asked that they put Bola Tinubu, the All-Progressives Congress, and the INEC on notice. Consequently, they filed motion on notice (number 13M) and motion ex parte (number 13MA) for substituted service on Bola Tinubu.”
However, Ibe noted, “On Tuesday at a conference meeting between lawyers of the PDP, LP, APC, and INEC, access was eventually granted to the legal team of PDP by INEC.”
He further explained that when the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, the two motions were withdrawn because they had been overtaken by events since access had already been granted on Tuesday to Atiku and PDP.