INEC Accuses Peter Obi, Labour Party of Refusing to Pay N1.5m to Access Electoral Documents Requested
- The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has denied an allegation that the agency refused to produce electoral documents to Peter Obi and the Labour Party
- INEC disclosed that Obi and Labour Party refused to pay N1.5m to access the documents requested
- Counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, alleged that Obi’s legal team didn't show up at a meeting called to discuss issues around documents requested
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has countered claims that the Commission refused to produce documents requested by the Labour Party and Peter Obi, the presidential candidate.
The electoral body said Obi and LP refused to pay the N1.5 million INEC demanded to access documents they requested to present as evidence before the presidential election tribunal.
Source: Facebook
Counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, stated these during the sitting of the presidential election petition court on Wednesday while reacting to claims made by Levy Uzoukwu, the counsel to LP and its candidate, Obi.
INEC refused to produce 70% of the electoral documents, LP, Obi's lawyer allege
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Uzoukwu had earlier alleged that INEC refused to release the necessary documents requested by his team.
According to Uzoukwu, the documents are to be presented as evidence in the suit challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking before the five-member panel of the court led by Haruna Tsammani, the LP, Obi's counsel said INEC “stubbornly refused to produce 70 percent of the electoral documents that were requested”.
The senior lawyer further stated that INEC officials demanded N1.5 million fee to process the documents in Sokoto state, while his team has been unable to access the electoral documents concerning the polls in Rivers state.
He said:
“A typical example is that of Rivers state, where the resident electoral commissioner boldly told us they do not have any form EC8A to give us.”
INEC's counsel counters, says LP, Obi's team refused to attend meeting
Countering Uzoukwu's claims, INEC's lawyer, Mahmoud, explained that LP and Obi's team didn't show up for a meeting called to discuss issues around documents to be presented before the court.
According to Mahmoud, “We agreed to meet on Monday and Tuesday (15 and 16 May). But on Monday, May 15, I received a call that the Labour Party legal team had not turned up at the venue for the inspection of the documents.”
He also added that Obi's team staged a walkout on the second day.
Giving further clarification on what transpired in Rivers state between the Commission and Obi's team, the INEC counsel explained that the LP was given some electoral documents, “but they insisted on collecting all the documents that were required”.
“The commission has not refused to produce any document,” he said.
Nigerians react as INEC accuses Obi, Labour Party of refusing to pay N1.5m to access documents
Meanwhile, Nigerians have reacted to the claims that Labour Party and Obi refused to pay N1.5m to access the document requested for.
Reacting on Twitter, @abbahmohd, said it shouldn't be difficult to pay the N1.5m fee to access the documents if Peter Obi really believes he won the 2023 Presidential election.
He wrote, "All you people complaining, if Obi and ALL his billionaire sponsors truly believes he won election, what's the big deal to pay just N1.5M to access documents that will prove his "mandate"? Small money they can drink in one night, become difficult to pay to prove he won?"
Another Nigerian, Dotun Sunday @Somidotun, asked why Obi and his LP's team have to pay to access the document and wondered what INEC will use the money for.
"Why do they have to pay? What would that money be used for?," he said.
According to @tayoajikawo, Obi and Labour Party refusing to pay is the reason some of their agents compromised during the elections.
"As dem no spend shishi.A stance that made some of their agents to be compromised during the elections.The same applied when they could not recruit up to 176k polling agents"
A Twitter user, @Chiddility, argued that Obi has paid for that already through his tax. He questioned INEC's demand for money, wondering if the Commission is a private organisation.
"Pay for what he has paid through tax? I don't know of inec is a private company or govt ."
INEC chairman inaugurates committees to review 2023 election
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu inaugurated two committees to review and document the activities of the 2023 general election.
Yakubu noted that the committees are: The Conduct Post Election and the 2023 General Election Report Writing Committee and they are set up to review matters arising from the conduct of the 2023 general election.
Source: Legit.ng
