The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised the Labour Party’s Legal Team that it will provide all the necessary documents for the party to prosecute its case.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave this assurance during a meeting with the legal team at the commission’s headquarters.
Yakubu stated that INEC has nothing to hide and that all documents available at the commission’s headquarters would be provided immediately.
He also revealed that they would be meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners to discuss how other documents at the state level could be made available to the legal team in a speedy manner.
“The commission is committed to transparency and openness, and we have nothing to hide. The documents that are available at the headquarters will be given immediately. We are also meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners today, and we will discuss how other documents at the state level could also be made available to you speedily,” he said.
The Labour Party’s Legal Team had visited the commission’s headquarters to discuss the modalities for obtaining the documents. The party had earlier filed a petition challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.
The party is alleging that the election was marred by irregularities and that the results were manipulated in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The legal team had requested for several documents from INEC to aid its case, including the voters’ register, result sheets, and other electoral materials used during the election.
The party had also requested for the manual collation forms used during the election and the list of accredited voters.
Yakubu assured the legal team that INEC would provide all the requested documents, and that the commission would do everything within its power to ensure that justice is done.
“We are committed to providing you with all the documents that you have requested. We will also work with you to ensure that justice is done in this matter,” he said.
The meeting between the Labour Party’s Legal Team and INEC is a clear indication that the commission is committed to transparency and openness.
It also demonstrates the commission’s willingness to work with political parties and other stakeholders to ensure that the electoral process is free, fair, and credible.
