The Proposed inspection of materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) in Rivers State was stalled today following the disagreement between the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC) on the mode of the inspection.
While the PDP is arguing that the order of the Election Petition Tribunal Sitting in Abuja did not include forensic inspection,the APC on the order side is arguing that the Order of the Tribunal included the forensic examination of election materials used by INEC.
It would be recalled that the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja had handed three Orders, at various times, hat INEC Should allow and facilitate the forensic examination of specified election materials for the purpose of tendering same before the Tribunal.
By Tuesday September 1, 2015 the INEC represented by its External Solicitor, Julius Mba, Esq, Solicitors to the APC and those of the PDP held a meeting where they set out the modalities for the inspection which they scheduled to commence the next day.
However, on the morning of today [Wednesday, September 2, 2015], Julius Mba, Esq announced that the INEC would no more allow the scanning and cropping of ballot papers and other materials which are at the centre of forensic examination and analysis as ordered by the Tribunal. Every attempt made by the APC to make the INEC External Solicitor and his clients to see reason has so far fallen on deaf ears.
The APC Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone in a statement said the Party boycotted the proposed inspection because they were not allowed to do Forensic Examination
