In a brazen disregard for the rule of law, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to comply with a court order secured by Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State. The order, granted by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, directed INEC to allow PDP lawyers and forensic experts to inspect critical election materials used in the controversial September 21, 2024 governorship election.
The court, presided over by Hon. Justice W.I. Kpochi, had on September 29, 2024, issued the ruling after reviewing the motion filed by PDP’s legal team. The order granted unfettered access to several key documents in INEC’s possession, including voter registers, ballot papers, and results from the BVAS machines used in the election. The court specifically mandated the inspection of forms EC25B, EC40A, EC40C, and EC8A, which recorded voting and accreditation results from the 4,519 polling units across Edo State.
Despite the clear legal directive, INEC has reportedly stalled the process. An unnamed source within INEC revealed that the Commission is awaiting “an order from above” before it allows the PDP team to begin their inspection of the materials. This development has caused significant concern about the integrity of the electoral process, particularly given the high stakes in the disputed governorship election and the fact that the PDP candidate only has 5 days left to file his election petition.
Police Blockade and APC Intimidation Tactics
The PDP’s efforts to inspect the materials were further thwarted when officers of the Nigerian Police physically prevented the party’s lawyers and forensic experts from even reaching the gates of the INEC office in Benin City. Witnesses at the scene reported that the police, stationed outside the premises, refused to allow the PDP team entry.
Peoplesmind