The Peoples Democratic Party has lost an application to recount of ballot papers used in the July 14 poll.

The Ekiti Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja has dismissed an application by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the recount of ballot papers used in the July 14 poll.
The PDP and its candidate, Prof. Olusola Kolapo are challenging the outcome of the election in court.

The respondents in the matter are Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Dr Kayode Fayemi, the winner of the election.
Ruling on the application, the Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Bolaji Belgore, declared that the application lacked merit.

Belgore noted that Ekiti had 177 wards with 2,197 polling units in 16 local government areas but the petitioners only complained of 325 polling units in their petition before the tribunal.
The chairman said PDP and its candidate did not complain about all the 2,197 polling units in the state.

“To pray for recount in all wards and polling units across the state is to make firm nonsense of the petitioners’ pleading,” Belgore said.
According to him, pleadings are written statements of parties in a procedure wherein they clearly state the materials, including documents, they will rely on in the proceeding.
He said the tribunal could only admit where it was supported by pleading, adding that what the petitioners wanted could not be situated in their pleading before the tribunal.

The chairman further said that the evidence so generated from the recount would have no basis in the proceeding.
He added that what the petitioners wanted to do was to spring a surprise on the respondents which they would not be able to respond to as time for pleading had closed.

He stated that the tribunal was in agreement with the submission of the counsel for Fayemi, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), that the petitioners were fishing for evidence under the guise of recounting the ballot.
The relief that seeks the recount be done in the presence of two representatives of the parties in the matter, secretary of the tribunal and security operatives, the tribunal held that involving its secretary would amount to the secretary giving evidence for the petitioners.

“The secretary of the tribunal cannot be a party to do what the application wanted,” Justice Belgore stated.
He, therefore, declared, “we hereby rule that the application is lacking in merit.”
In a related development, the tribunal turned down INEC’s application from excluding the smart card reader machines used in the July 14 governorship election.

Ruling on the application argued by Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) for INEC, Belgore said that excluding the card readers from inspection would be tantamount to setting aside the tribunal’s early order granted on July 26.
The tribunal, however, made a consequential order that the inspection of the card readers must be completed by the end of each party’s case, which would commence on Oct. 17.
The chairman declared that the consequential order was not setting aside the exparte order granted on July 26.

The tribunal thereafter adjourned the commencement of hearing in the petition until Oct. 17.

More below:

https://zenithnaija.com/ekiti-guber-tribunal-strikes-out-pdps-application-to-recount-ballot/

cc: lalasticlala dominique Mynd44

I sense that it will be easier for PDP to reclaim their mandate from Osun tribunal and certainly not Ekiti

Jonnyessense , another tribunal has distanced itself from Gov Eleka.

He who plays the piper dictates the tune.













If you know you know

I have seen bias in the tribunal.

bender79:
I sense that it will be easier for PDP to reclaim their mandate from Osun tribunal and certainly not Ekiti

Then you will give another trash excuse after the Judiciary strikes out their bullshit in Osun too. That’s if they even got the balls to go to court
Pdp are sore losers . Hug the truth .

PFRB:
I have seen bias in the tribunal.

Very obvious you didn't read anything up there

not like i was expecting any reasonable judgement from dem, my only hope is in d supreme court

This is an election petition tribunal for goodness sake.Oshiomole's case was reinforced by counting of the ballot during the Edo guber so what is the fuss about this
The counting would be done in court of course.Even if more evidence will be sought after or detected nothing amiss even as both sides sought to establish their cases.
The tribunal is obviously going bias in this regard.However justice will be served as when due.The higher courts are still there to adjucate on this matter. So no hiding place for anyone

bender79:
I sense that it will be easier for PDP to reclaim their mandate from Osun tribunal and certainly not Ekiti

you got it wrong bro. It will be easier for Pdp to win ekiti than to win in osun because osun's case was a technical knock out.

Why should BOLAJI BELGORE be the head of the jury when is brother DELE BELGORE is a chieftain and Gubernatorial aspirant of APC in Kwara state.
PDP should have asked for another Judge for the sake of fairness.
Apc will still win though, cause Ekiti election was free and fair, only vote buying on both sides (Apc and Pdp) dents it credibility.

Cownu:

Then you will give another trash excuse after the Judiciary strikes out their bullshit in Osun too. That’s if they even got the balls to go to court
Pdp are sore losers . Hug the truth .

People are u are reason why the white coin the saying

"black people with black brain"

Racoon:
This is an election petition tribunal for goodness sake.Oshiomole's case was reinforced by counting of the ballot during the Edo guber so what is the fuss about this
The counting would be done in court of course.Even if more evidence will be sought after or detected nothing amiss even as both sides sought to establish their cases.
The tribunal is obviously going bias in this regard.However justice will be served as when due.The higher courts are still there to adjucate on this matter. So no hiding place for anyone

The Tribunal said the PDP did not query the entire result in their petition as such they can't demand for a recount of the total number of votes.

They definitely can request for a recount of the polling units they challenged the result in their petition.

The PDP and it's legal team has made a mess of the case. Don't pass the buck to the Tribunal.

Hian!

PVision2020:
Why should BOLAJI BELGORE be the head of the jury when is brother DELE BELGORE is a chieftain and Gubernatorial aspirant of APC in Kwara state.
PDP should have asked for another Judge for the sake of fairness.
Apc will still win though, cause Ekiti election was free and fair, only vote buying on both sides (Apc and Pdp) dents it credibility.

This Tribunal was inaugurated in July ending... and at that time Dele Belgore was still in the PDP... Dele decamped to APC after Saraki Joined PDP... Stop misinforming people

They don't want to recount the ballot, but want to rule whether votes were inflated or not.

OK o

They don't want to count the ballot, but want to rule whether votes were inflated or not.

OK o

PFRB:
I have seen bias in the tribunal.

When APC loses, Nigerians are tired of Buhari but when it wins, then there is bias. All the other parties, press and observers are okey with the elections. You can go to hell if you like

Johnnyessence Mr Landslide victory come and see oo

Ok
Appeal court ya!

hmmm

Fraud! Why oh why?! Such fraud!