The Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, has granted New Nigeria Peoples Party the motion for Substituted Service on the state governor, Dapo Abiodun.
The NNPP's legal team led by Barrister Peter Ogah in an application before the Tribunal asked for the leave of the Tribunal to serve Gov. Dapo Abiodun the NNPP's Petition through substituted means.
The tribunal chaired by Justice Arum Igyem Ashom gave NNPP the go-ahead to serve the governor through the substituted means.
Recall that, NNPP had filed a petition before the Tribunal, challenging the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the March 18 election.
The party in the election petition with suit number; EPT/OG/GOV/01/2023 dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, Governor Abiodun, and his party, APC before the Tribunal over an alleged omission of the NNPP’s name on the ballot papers used for the governorship and assembly elections held in the state.
NNPP in an affidavit deposed by the State Chairman, Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday is asking for the cancellation of the state governorship election over the omission of the party's Name on the logo of the ballot used for the election.
The team of legal luminaries assembled by Ogun NNPP earlier filed a Motion Ex parte seeking an order of the court to move the motion before the pre-hearing session of the tribunal.
The party also prayed the court to direct INEC to grant the party access to inspect, photocopy, scan, pay for, and obtain certified true copies of all the documents used in the conduct of the governorship election held on March 18, 2023.
Three Judges of the election tribunal, granted NNPP’s request to inspect, photocopy, scan and record all sensitive materials used by INEC.
The three judges namely; Justice Arum Igyem Ashom, Justice Eno Ikpi Ebri, and Justice Khadi Ibrahim Ya’u unanimously agreed in their ruling on the exparte motion brought by the counsels of NNPP to allow the party inspects the INEC’s materials.
Details later…