The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate release of election materials used for the conduct of the September 21 Edo gubernatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC).
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused INEC of allegedly refusing to grant its candidate, Asue Ighodalo access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and other materials used in the governorship contest against a court order.
The party accused INEC of allegedly refusing to grant Ighodalo access to the electoral materials on the guise of waiting for “directives from above” .
The PDP noted that “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 the materials.”
According to the party, “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 for 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.
“The PDP therefore calls on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to immediately redeem the image of the Commission by ensuring the immediate release of the BVAS machines, the results sheets, ballot papers and other vital materials used for the election for inspection by our Party and candidate in compliance with the Order of the Tribunal.
“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,” the PDP declared.
