The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday invited representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun to inspect materials used in the 9 August governorship polls.
The invitation was contained in a “Notice of Inspection of Election Materials” sent to the parties in Osogbo.
The three-paragraph notice, obtained by NAN, was signed by Mr Oladipo Oladapo, the Administrative Secretary of INEC.
The notice stated that “the Commission has fixed Tuesday, 9th September, 2014 for both parties, PDP and the APC, to simultaneously commence inspection of all election materials for the Osun governorship election”.
According to the notice, the exercise will be at the Osogbo office of the commission. “Both parties are, by this notice, advised to attend the inspection unfailingly as the commission will release all the materials for inspection on the date stated,” the notice stated.
Alhaji Gani Ola-Oluwa, PDP Chairman in Osun, told NAN that the party was ready to take part in the exercise. He expressed confidence that more revelations from the election would come to the fore during the inspection.
The PDP chairman said it was ready to prove its case within the ambit of law that the election was not fair.
Mr Gboyega Famodun, the Secretary of the APC in Osun also said the party’s team was ready to take part in the inspection.
“The exercise is democratically recognised and we are ready to protect the mandate freely given to us by the people of Osun,” Famodun said.
The APC scribe expressed optimism that the will of the people would be upheld. The two parties had filed applications to the Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo, seeking the leave of the court to have access to election materials.
Counsel to the PDP, Mr Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), submitted an 18-paragraph application to the tribunal, seeking its leave to have access to the electoral materials in custody of INEC.
The APC, through its counsel, Mr Kunle Adegoke, filed a similar application, asking the court to grant the party access to the electoral materials used by INEC during the governorship election.
