The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate for the upcoming September 21 governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, have successfully obtained a court order mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a detailed list of all electoral materials in its possession for inspection by the PDP and Ighodalo. This order includes the right to obtain certified copies of these documents.
The ruling was issued in a case designated EPT/ED/GOV/01M/2024, with Ighodalo and the PDP as the applicants, and INEC, Okpebholo Monday, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the respondents.
Dated Sunday, September 29, 2024, and signed by Tribunal Secretary Mu’azu Ibrahim Bagudu, the order from Tribunal Chairman Honourable Justice W. I. Kpochi stated, “After thoroughly reviewing the reliefs requested, along with the supporting affidavit and legal arguments, the application is granted as follows:
The first respondent is instructed to allow the applicants, their solicitors, and forensic document examiners unrestricted access to inspect all electoral documents held by the National Chief Electoral Commissioner or any officer of the Commission. This includes the Voter Registers, ballot papers, BVAS machines, Forms EC25B, EC25B(1), EC40A, and EC40C used in the Edo State Governorship Election on September 21, 2024.”
The order further compels INEC to take immediate steps to ensure that all relevant forms from the gubernatorial election are preserved in a secure manner until the petition filed by the applicants is resolved.
Additionally, the first respondent is directed to provide the applicants with a list of accredited agents from all political parties that participated in the election and the voter register for each polling unit, upon appropriate payment for certification.
On Monday, October 7, a member of the applicants’ legal team, Olusegun Jolaawo (SAN), submitted the order to INEC, only to be informed to return the following day.
Afterward, he spoke to journalists, stating, “We are here today as part of our effort to obtain materials to support our petition following the court order received on September 29, 2024. Unfortunately, we couldn’t meet with the REC but managed to speak with the head of the legal department, who informed us that they are preparing a schedule for our inspection.”
He lamented the lack of access to the BIVAS (Bimodal Voter Authentication System) machines for interrogation by their team, stating, “We were informed that we would be contacted once the schedule is prepared, which is not what we anticipated today.”
All petitioners have until next Saturday to submit their petitions. When asked about the possibility of attempts to hinder this process, Jolaawo acknowledged, “It’s possible some may try to obstruct us, but we will not allow that.
We will continue to push forward because without access to inspect the materials, we cannot file our case. If we fail to file by Saturday at the latest, that would be the end of our efforts, and we will not permit them to create obstacles.”
