Segun Oni, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, during the June 18, 2022, Ekiti State election, has dragged the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Dr Adeniran Tela, to the Tribunal for allegedly defying the Tribunal’s earlier order.
The Election Petitions Tribunal had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to give Segun Oni complete access to election materials used in the conduct of the just concluded election.
However, following the violation of the order given by the Election Petitions Tribunal, Oni said he filed the suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for allegedly denying him access to election materials.
Addressing reporters in Ado Ekiti, on behalf of his client, Mr Owoseeni Ajayi accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of frustrating his case at the Tribunal.
“It is, therefore, clear that the REC was acting a script of impunity to frustrate the Petitioner’s case. Nigerians must take note of this dubious act of INEC’s attempt to derail democracy in Ekiti. The opposition parties are also entitled to their rights under democracy,” he said.
Ajayi also said he requested to inspect some election materials, which the Tribunal granted but was denied access.
“We were taken aback when a letter dated August 23, 2022, personally signed by REC and addressed to the respondent, said the party/counsel should write to INEC headquarters, Abuja, for the documents/materials as stated in the court order.
“Inspection of election materials was never done in Abuja but at the state head office. It is, therefore, contemptuous for the REC to vary the order of the Tribunal by instructing parties to write to the INEC office, Abuja. This was strange, unlawful and beyond understanding. It has never happened anywhere’’, he said.
Meanwhile, the REC has denied any wrongdoing. He faulted the allegations saying he had nothing to fear over the suit.
He said the commission had been fair to all parties, including the SDP that had been raising all manners of accusations against him.