- PDP: “INEC Is Obstructing Us From Inspecting Election Materials”
- INEC Replies PDP: “That’s A lie, We Didn’t Obstruct You”
By Abiola Olawale
The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are locked in a fierce battle of words over election materials used during the September 21 governorship election of Edo State.
The PDP accused INEC officials in Edo State of allegedly blocking the party and its governorship candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo from gaining access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and other materials used in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election.
PDP also accused INEC officials of working in concert with the All Progressives Congress (APC), to alter the data in the BVAS machines, results sheets, ballot papers and other vital information used in the election in favour of the APC candidate.
The Party noted that it had obtained a tribunal order directing the INEC, among other things, to hand over the comprehensive list of all the electoral materials available in its custody for the inspection of Ighodalo and the PDP and “the taking of the Certified True Copy thereof.”
This was contained in a press statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Debo Ologunagba.
The statement reads in part: “Our party also alerts the public of how compromised INEC officials used the ploy of waiting for ‘directives from above’ to allegedly allow thugs recruited by the APC, and some unscrupulous police operatives to invade the INEC office in Edo State, to cause confusion and frustrate the PDP from accessing these sensitive materials.
“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, on September 29, 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 utilised for the conduct of the Edo State Governorship election held on September 21, 2024.”
However, INEC has vehemently denied the allegations.
The electoral body declared that it never obstructed any political party from inspecting election materials and BVAS machines used for the just concluded governorship election.
In a statement in Benin on Wednesday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, said that the allegations of obstructing the inspection of materials were baseless, misleading, and devoid of truth.
Onuoha explained that the commission, in furtherance to its commitment, had fixed Wednesday for the inspection of the materials at its headquarters in Benin.
He said: “The attention of INEC and my office has been drawn to certain unfounded allegations suggesting that I have refused political parties and their representatives access to inspect the BVAS devices and other election materials used during the recent elections.
“We wish to categorically state that these allegations are baseless, misleading, and completely devoid of truth.
“INEC under my leadership in Edo, remains committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and integrity of all electoral processes.”
Onuoha noted that the inspection of election materials was the fundamental right of all political parties involved in election petitions, adding that it was a process that INEC was mandated by law to facilitate.
He explained that at no time did he or any official in his office obstruct or deny any political party or their representatives access to inspect the materials used in the last election.
“INEC is fully aware of the legal implications of such actions, and we are dedicated to supporting the lawful processes that enable parties to seek redress in the courts.
“In furtherance of this commitment, I wish to inform the public that the inspection of the election materials, including the BVAS devices, has been formally scheduled for Wednesday (Today), at the INEC Headquarters in Benin.
“All political parties and their representatives are invited to participate in this exercise, as per the legal procedures, to ensure transparency and adherence to the rule of law, ” he added.
The New Diplomat reports that INEC had declared the governorship candidate of the APC, Monday Okpebholo, as the winner of the Saturday, September 21 election.
According to official results, Okpebholo polled a total of 291,667 votes to beat his closest contender, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 247,274 votes.
Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came a distant third in the race with 22,763 votes. Fourteen other candidates contested the seat but got less than the three frontline candidates.
The APC candidate won a total of 11 local governments against the PDP, who won 7 local governments.
