Protesters storm INEC Office in Edo, as Ighodalo get order to inspect election materials

Thousands of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters gathered at the Benin City headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday to protest an alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, to tamper with election result sheets and materials.

The protest comes ahead of the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal’s hearing concerning the September 21 governorship election.

Led by the Deputy Governor-elect, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, the demonstrators blocked the entrance to the INEC office, causing significant traffic disruptions in the area.

They called on INEC to safeguard the integrity of the election documents, warning against any attempt to alter them before the tribunal proceedings.

But Ighodalo and the PDP had obtained a court-enrolled 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.”

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 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 certification fees, a 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 the 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 interrogate 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.