Gombe Election: Tribunal grants APC request for forestic examination of election documents, rejects request for recount of votes
Fatimah Abdullahi
Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Gombe state on Tuesday granted the request of the APC and its governorship candidate to carry out a forensic examination of documents used during the 2015 Governorship election.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice Mathew Adewara, granted the request while delivering his ruling on an application filed by the party.
According to Justice Adewara, who refused to grant the second request of the petitioner for recount of votes cast during the elections, the tribunal would allow the forensic examination of the document to enable the petitioners, APC and its gubernatorial candidate have necessary materials for the purpose of the presentation of their petition in the case.
On the tribunal refusal on the recount of votes cast, he cited section 64 of the Electoral Act, which says counting of votes should be done at the polling units.
INEC counsel, Hassan Liman (SAN), had at the last sitting of the tribunal argued that granting the demand of the petitioners for the conduct of forensic examination, would amount to a breach of the rights to secrecy of the voters. The argument which have been overruled by the tribunal.
APC in Gombe and its gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, are challenging the return of Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of the PDP as the duly elected governor of the state in the last governorship election.
