For the fourth day running, the Awka, Anambra State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has failed to produce a list of permanent and ad hoc staff deployed by the electoral umpire for the November 16, 17 and 30 elections.
Besides, INEC is yet to produce the voter register ordered for any ward, except for one in Aguata Local Government Area.
All Progressives Congress (APC) lawyers have been inspecting election materials for four days, without the required staff list that forms part of the documents ordered to be produced for inspection and copying.
INEC officials pleaded for patience to enable them produce the list today.
A source close to INEC said the list does not exist, adding that "it is being put together now".
An official, who was a Polling Assistant in Idemili North, was overheard at the INEC office in Awka venting her frustrations because she was asked to complete another form last Friday.
According to her, "they told us that the arrested Electoral Officer for Idemili North has the list of all the staff who worked in the elections for Idemili North, so we cannot be paid until another list is constructed".
INEC is yet to provide the voucher for payment of electoral staff, another vital document requested by APC lawyers and ordered by the Gubernatorial Election Tribunal.
"We will give them the benefit of the doubt till tomorrow as they requested," Bona Oraekwe, member of the legal team said.
The tribunal, headed by Justice J K Kaigama, last Wednesday, ordered INEC to avail APC of election materials used for the conduct of the governorship elections. They include voter register for the three-phased elections. The court also granted the prayers of Emeka Ngige (SAN), leading a team of other lawyers for INEC to produce Forms EC8A,EC8B EC8C,EC8D, EC8G,EC8E (results sheets at all levels) used for the elections.
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