The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denounced the reported refusal of officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State to allow the party and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and other materials used in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, which is said to be in violation of a court order.
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Making the allegation in a statement on Monday, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said, “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 All Progressives Congress (APC) and some unscrupulous police operatives to invade the INEC office in Edo State so as 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, 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”.
Ologunagba emphasized that INEC’s actions in Edo State validate allegations of collusion between certain INEC officials and the APC to obstruct justice and suppress evidence of election result manipulation. He asserted that the election was clearly won by the PDP and its candidate.
He claimed that 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.”
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The statement further read, “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 PDP has urged INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to restore the Commission’s integrity by promptly releasing the BVAS machines, results sheets, ballot papers, and other essential materials used in the election. This request is in compliance with the Tribunal’s order, allowing the party and its candidate to conduct their inspection.
“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,”
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