Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ondo State governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure has granted the Govenorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr Eyitayo Jegede the leeway to inspect the materials used for the October 10 governorship election in the state.
The Tribunal headed by Justice Umar Abubakar also granted an order for substituted service to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
In an exparte order, Justice Abubakar who led other two judges of the tribunal granted the orders moved by one of the counsel of Jegede, Jamiu Makinde.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Akeredolu as the winner of the Ondo State governorship election.
He beat his main challenger and candidate of PDP Eyitayo Jegede, and his Deputy Governor and candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Agboola Ajayi to emerge the winner.
Akeredolu polled 292,830, as against Jegede who garnered 195,79.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, Jegede approached the tribunal.
Among the grounds are that the election was marred by irregularities and pockets of violence as well as intimidation and faulty emergence of Akeredolu at the APC primaries.
Makinde had in the motion exparte sought an order to serve the defendants through substituted service by pasting on the petition on the notice board of the tribunal.
He also sought an order allowing access to materials used for the conduct of the October 10 governorship election and in custody of INEC
He listed local councils in which electoral materials are to be accessed to include Owo, Eseodo, Ilaje, Okitipupa amongst others.
Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Umaru Abubakar, granted the order and said the petitioner could advertise the served processes in newspaper circulating within its jurisdiction.
Justice Abubakar also allowed the petitioner access to election materials in custody of INEC within the hours of 8am and 4pm for a period of five working days.
