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Legalbrief   |   your legal news hub Friday 29 March 2024

Commission ordered to comply with PDP’s request

Nigeria’s Court of Appeal has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to allow Atiku Abubakar and his People's Democratic Party (PDP) to have access to all certified copies of the materials used in conducting the 2019 presidential election. A report on the allAfrica site notes that it said this was in pursuant to section 151 of the Electoral Act. The three-member panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki also ordered the Inec to make available to Abubakar and the PDP all documents and electoral materials used for the election for the purpose of the inspection. However, the court refused the applicants' request for the scanning and forensic analysis of the election materials. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, Abubakar has inaugurated a legal team to challenge the result of the presidential election. The commission last week declared Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the election.

Police have confirmed that 323 people were arrested on suspicion of committing electoral offences during Nigeria's recent elections. Inspector-General Mohammed Adamu said the suspects committed ‘various electoral offences and sundry crimes across the country’. A report on the News24 site notes that the 23 February polls saw incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari defeat his main rival Atiku Abubakar who has rejected the result and vowed to file a legal challenge.