BLESSING OMALE, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented five additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used in the September 21 Edo State governorship election, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, formally closed their case at the tribunal.
The devices were submitted on Monday by Anthony Itodo, a Senior Technical Officer in INEC’s ICT Department, in response to a subpoena from the three-member tribunal led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi.
This follows last week’s submission of 148 BVAS machines used in 133 polling units during the disputed election.
Ighodalo and the PDP are challenging INEC’s declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, as the winner of the election. Okpebholo secured 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo trailed with 247,655 votes.
The petitioners allege irregularities in the collation process at the ward and local government levels, arguing that the election was marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
At Monday’s hearing, the petitioners, through their lead counsel, Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN), expressed confidence that they had presented a strong case.
They relied on the testimony of 19 witnesses, including five who specifically testified on alleged over-voting in areas where election results are being contested.
Despite objections from INEC, Okpebholo, and the APC regarding the admissibility of the newly submitted BVAS machines, the tribunal accepted them as exhibits, pending a ruling on their relevance.
Following the conclusion of the petitioner’s case, the tribunal has scheduled Wednesday for INEC to open its defence.
Meanwhile, Edo PDP Chairman, Chief Anthony Aziegbemin, maintained that the petitioners had presented a compelling case based on documentary evidence.
He criticized INEC’s objection to the admissibility of its own certified documents, describing it as unusual.
“It gives us and Nigerians something to think about—why will INEC oppose the documents it certified to the petitioners being tendered in open court?” Aziegbemin questioned.
With the tribunal set to hear INEC’s defence, all eyes remain on the legal battle over the Edo governorship election outcome.
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