The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ibadan on the Irepo/Oorelope/Olorunsogo Federal Constituency suit on Thursday held its inaugural hearing.
The tribunal, which had Justice Baaki Augustine as Chairman, also had Justices Kwame Okpu and Benson Ogbu as members.
The ACN, in the suit before the tribunal, is challenging the victory of PDP's Jimoh Adelowo in the re-run and run off elections held on Jan 28 and Feb 11 respectively.
Kazeem Gbadamosi, counsel to the ACN, named Adelowo, PDP and INEC as respondents.
Gbadamosi also presented an application seeking for orders to allow forensic experts, party agents and appointed solicitors to participate in the inspection of all electoral documents and machines used during the elections.
He also sought the order of the tribunal to grant permission to make copies of such documents for the purpose of the trial.
Similarly, Adebowale Olajide, the counsel to Adelowo and PDP, requested the granting of similar prayers.
INEC's counsel, Kunle Faokunla, admitted to being served the two applications and said he was not opposing either of them.
However, the prayer by the ACN and PDP counsel to permit the forensic and handwriting experts to tender their reports when completed was withdrawn.
The withdrawal by the counsel followed an observation raised by Ogbu that it would be speculative of the tribunal to grant the prayer.
Ogbu said sufficient materials should first be brought before the tribunal before granting the order.
With both counsel consenting to withdraw the said prayer, Ogbu granted other motions raised.
Olajide also requested for three weeks to enable the parties inspect the electoral documents with INEC in the three local governments concerned.
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