The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, Wednesday, adjourned till July 22 the case challenging the election of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as senator representing Kwara Central.

Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is challenging the victory of Saraki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 28 National Assembly election, praying the court to declare him winner of the election.

Hearing in the case was to commence yesterday but it could not go on following fresh application by the petitioner's counsel, Professor Rasheed Ijaodola, seeking for adjournment to enable him complete inspection of materials used for the election.

It would be recalled that the panel had given the petitioners leave to inspect the materials while hearing in the case was slated for yesterday.

Ijaodola, however, told the court that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) denied them access to the information contained in the card reader, saying until they have access to the data, the hearing could not continue.

However, INEC said in a letter presented to the tribunal that it had given the petitioners the necessary cooperation to inspect the materials. At this point, the Tribunal chairman asked the petitioner's counsel if they were duly informed of the development but he said that they did not receive any communication in that regard.

Justice Majebi, therefore, granted the request for adjournment with a condition that the petitioners would lose one day from the six days given to them to open their case. He adjourned to July 22 for hearing, advising the petitioner to be ready with the witnesses.