Politics

Edo poll: APC supporters storm INEC office as court grants PDP rights to inspect election materials

SUPPORTERS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, on Monday, besieged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Benin to protest an alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to tamper with result sheets and other materials used during the September 21 governorship election.

Led by the deputy governor-elect, Honourable Dennis Idahosa, the protesters blocked the entrance into the INEC office, causing gridlock around the area as they cautioned INEC against allowing anybody to tamper with the materials.

The PDP candidate in the election, Dr Asue Ighodalo and his party had obtained a court-enrolled order directing the commission, among others, to hand over the comprehensive list of all the materials available in its custody for the inspection of Ighodalo and the PDP and “the taking of the Certified True Copy thereof.”

The order was given in the suit marked EPT/ED/GOV/01M/2024 between Ighodalo Asuerinme and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as applicants and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Okpebholo Monday and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Respondents.

In the enrolled order which was dated Sunday September 29th 2024 and signed by the Secretary of the Tribunal, Mu’azu Ibrahim Bagudu Esq., the Chairman of the Tribunal, Honourable Justice W. I. Kpochi said that “having critically examined the details of the reliefs sought, the supporting Affidavit and Written Address of Counsel, the Application is granted in the following terms:

“It is hereby ordered that the 1st Respondent is directed to grant the Applicants or their Solicitors and Forensic documents Examiners unfettered access to and open up for inspection of all electoral documents or any document in the custody of the National Chief Electoral Commissioner.

“Or any officer of the Commission/1st Respondent particularly the Voter Registers, the ballot papers, the BVAS machines, Forms EC25B, EC 25B(1), Forms EC40A and Forms EC40C which were utilised for the conduct of the Edo State Governorship Election held on the 21st September, 2024.

“That the 1st Respondent is mandated to take immediate steps to ensure that all the Forms: EC25B, EC25B(I), EC40A, EC40C, EC40G, EC40G(I) used at the gubernatorial election of 21st of September, 2024.

“Either in the custody of the Chief National Electoral Commissioner, Resident Electoral Commissioner of Edo State or any other officer of the Commission are preserved kept temper-proof and secure pending the filing, hearing and determination of the Petition to be filed by the Applicants.

“That the 1s Respondent is further directed to produce and give to the Applicants, forthwith upon payment of appropriate fees for certification, List of accredited agents of all the political parties that participated in the Edo state gubernatorial election, Voters register for each of the polling units” among several other reliefs sought.

A member of the applicants’ legal team, Olusegun Jolaowo (SAN), submitted the order to the INEC and was told to come back the following day (Tuesday).

Speaking to journalists thereafter, he said: “We came here today in furtherance of our attempt to get materials to flesh up our petition in furtherance of court order received on September 29, 2024.

“When we got here today, we were unable to get an audience with the REC but we were able to meet with the head of the legal department who told us that they were preparing a schedule for our inspection.

“We have not been able to inspect because we have not been able to have access to the BIVAS (Bimodal Voter Authentication System) machines to conduct interrogation of the same with our team. So, where we are right now, is that we were told whenever the schedule is ready we would be contacted by INEC which is not what we expected today.”

All the petitioners have till next Saturday to submit their petitions.

Meanwhile, the PDP has strongly condemned the reported refusal by officials of INEC) in Edo to grant the party and its candidate, Dr Ighodalo access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and other materials used in the September 21, governorship election.

A statement, on Monday, by the party’s national leadership noted that the electoral umpire’s action is against the Order of Court.

“INEC’s refusal to release the materials is in brazen affront of the Order of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Holden at Benin City, dated 29th day of September, 2024 which ordered the Commission to grant our Party and candidate ‘unfettered access to and open up for inspection all electoral documents or any document in the custody of the National Chief Electoral Commissioner or any officer of the Commission/1st Respondent, particularly the Voter Registers, Ballot papers, the BVAS machines, Forms EC25B, EC25B(i) Forms EC40A and Forms EC40C which were utilized for the conduct of the Edo State Governorship election held on the 21st September 2024.’

“The action of the INEC in Edo State therefore validates reports of criminal connivance of some INEC officials with the APC to obstruct the course of justice and suppress evidence of the manipulation and doctoring of election results which was clearly won by the PDP and its candidate.

“Information available to the PDP indicates that the heavily compromised INEC officials and the APC are working to alter the data in the BVAS machines, results sheets, ballot papers and other vital information in favour of the defeated APC candidate.

“It is imperative to draw the attention of Nigerians and the International Community of a pattern by the INEC to continue to present itself as a threat to democracy against its mandate to promote democratic principles of free, fair and credible elections in line with the Constitution and extant electoral laws.

“Nigerians will recall from reports in the public domain since the 2023 elections that INEC has proven to be in active connivance with the APC to manipulate the outcome of every election in favour of the APC in total disregard and contempt to the expressed Will of the people and the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC Guidelines for elections.

“This manipulative and provocative action by INEC and the APC is already causing apprehensions with the possibility of a breakdown of Law and Order as Nigerians are increasingly getting frustrated with the Commission,” the statement signed by the national publicity secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba said.

The PDP, therefore called on the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to “redeem the image of the commission by ensuring the immediate release of the BVAS machines, the results sheets, ballot papers and other vital materials used for the election for inspection by our party and candidate in compliance with the Order of the Tribunal.

“INEC and the APC must know that there is no way the PDP and the people of Edo State will allow the mandate freely given to our Party and candidate at the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship to be illegally transferred to the APC which was defeated at the election,” the PDP added.

Idahosa Moses