The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC is contending against request by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate Peter Obi to interrogate its IT personnel in the February 25, 2023 general elections.
Earlier, Peter Obi had sought an order of the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja to among other things get details relating to the information and communication technology experts used by INEC in the conduct of the election.
Truth Live News reports that LP and Obi are challenging the declaration by INEC that Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress won the election.
Counsel to the LP and Obi, Patrick Ikweto (SAN), posed 12 questions to be forwarded to INEC as part of efforts to support their petition which questioned the integrity of the election.
The petitioners averred that the interrogatory application if acceded to, would assist them in solidifying their claims that the conduct of the election was flawed.
Objecting the request however, counsel to INEC, Kemi Pinhero (SAN), said that the application was brought outside the time specified and allowed by law.
He argued that moving the application outside the pre-hearing session had robbed the court of jurisdiction to hear it.
In the same vein, both the counsel for Tinubu, Akin Olujimi (SAN) and counsel for the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), also opposed the request.
The presiding Justice, Haruna Tsammani, reserved the ruling on the interrogatory applications by Obi and his party and adjourned further hearing in the petition till Friday June 9, 2023.