The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stirred controversy by failing to present any witnesses in its defense against claims of electoral misconduct in the Edo 2024 governorship election.
At the ongoing tribunal, INEC’s legal team formally concluded its case without calling a single witness, a move that legal experts believe could weaken its defense.
The commission is now relying solely on cross-examinations and arguments presented by the legal teams of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Monday Okpebholo.
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has contested the election results, alleging that INEC manipulated the process to benefit the APC candidate.
The PDP’s case focuses on sections of the 2022 Electoral Act, particularly Section 137, which prioritizes documentary evidence over oral testimony, and Section 73(2), which calls for the annulment of results when ballot paper and BVAS serial numbers are not properly recorded.
The tribunal has already accepted key BVAS machines as evidence, which the PDP argues will reveal discrepancies in the results.
Witnesses, including PDP agents and an expert analyst, have testified about irregularities during the collation of results.
Independent election observers, such as Athena Centre and TAP Initiative, have also supported these allegations, further questioning INEC’s integrity.
By choosing not to present witnesses, INEC has left its defense in the hands of the APC and Governor Okpebholo’s legal teams.
Analysts caution that this strategy could backfire, as INEC now faces scrutiny over its own certified records and BVAS data, which the PDP asserts contradict the declared results.
The case has also gained attention due to an undercover investigation by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), which accused INEC of inflating votes for the APC.
As the tribunal continues, the impact of INEC’s decision to remain silent on the final verdict will be closely watched.
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