Edo Election: PDP Lawyers Disallow Tribunal’s Joint Inspection Order
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
By Reporter
The much trumpeted inspection of the Bimodal Voter Authentication System devices and other electoral materials used for last September 21 governorship election in Edo State was disrupted today by the objections and verbal attacks by lawyers from the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Election Tribunal sitting in Benin City had last Monday granted the All Progressives Congress (APC) permission to inspect the BIVAS machine, Voter’s Register and other sensitive materials that were used for the conducted of the election that produced Senator Monday Okpebholo as winner.
The PDP had also last week secured the Tribunal’s nod to inspect the electoral materials at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters.
However, the inspection which was sought by the PDP and has generated so much controversy was disrupted by the petitioners themselves as their lawyers vehemently objected to joint inspection, insisted on private inspection.
The APC rejected PDP’s request and I sister on the joint inspection which the Tribunal had ordered.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Anugbom Onuoha, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Edo State, had invited representatives from all parties to witness the inspection, but the PDP vehemently kicked against the invitation of other parties, insisting it was an attempt to “muddy the waters.”
Other political parties, including the APC were at a loss on why PDP would demand private inspection. They argued that PDP’s action was designed to allow them room for falsification.
INEC’s Head of Legal, Rita Amadi, eventually kick started the process of the inspection to start from the voters’ register, ballot papers and finally the BIVAS, but again, the PDP lawyers objected, insisting to inspect the BIVAS only.
Their insistence led to verbal clashes between APC and PDP members,
The process was eventually adjourned to October 10, 2024 to commence from inspection of voters’ register.
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