The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, yesterday issued a “notice of consequence of disobedience of court order” to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his deputy, Mr. Peter Kishira.

The Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Timothy Ibitoye were also served with the court order.

The order, dated May 30 and signed by the tribunal Secretary, Mrs. Uju Mesiobi-Emeto, said: “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of the honourable governorship tribunal/court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

But the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Chairman Kayode Olawepo said there was collusion between the PDP and INEC to delay the execution of the court order granted over two weeks ago.

The party said its lawyers, who went to Baruten on Monday for inspection, photocopies copies of materials and scanned copies of polling documents, were denied access to them.

In a statement yesterday in Ilorin, Olawepo said the lawyers were told by one Mr. Ahmed, the commission’s executive officer in Baruten, that INEC’s local government offices lacked the power to issue Certified True Copy (CTT) of the polling documents, adding that only the state Headquarters can issue it.

He said: “We suspect foul play between INEC and PDP. Why did the INEC State Headquarters’ Legal Officer, one Mr. Salako, direct us to their local government offices when he knew that the local branches have no power to issue CTT in the first instance? Is it to continue to delay until something sinister is done to the materials? This only goes to confirm that both the INEC and Kwara PDP are in collusion to disobey or frustrate the execution of the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Ilorin.

“This is what has been happening in Kwara and we are by this means drawing the attention of the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega and, of course, President Goodluck Jonathan, Inspector-General of Police and the international community to these anomalies in the state, despite the claims of free, fair and credible election.