The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) engaged in a heated exchange on Monday regarding alleged attempts to manipulate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) used in the Edo State governorship election held on September 21.
The PDP accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of intentionally postponing the release of electoral materials to its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who plans to contest the election results in court. Meanwhile, the APC organized a protest at the INEC office in Benin, demanding that the electoral body refrain from colluding with the PDP to alter the electoral materials.
Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, alleged that compromised INEC officials, in tandem with the APC, were attempting to manipulate data within the BVAS machines and other electoral materials to favor the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo, who secured 291,667 votes against Ighodalo’s 247,274.
In a statement, Ologunagba condemned INEC’s refusal to grant access to the BVAS machines and other election materials, citing a court order that demanded transparency. He expressed concern over allegations that some INEC officials were delaying access to allow APC-affiliated thugs to disrupt the electoral process and obscure evidence of malpractice.
Ologunagba emphasized that the PDP would not allow the electoral commission or the APC to undermine the democratic mandate provided by the voters.
The PDP’s statement further highlighted the importance of holding INEC accountable and urged the commission’s chairman to ensure that all relevant materials are released for inspection as per the tribunal’s directives.
Legal representatives for Ighodalo expressed concern that delays in accessing the electoral materials could impede their ability to file a timely petition with the tribunal, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
Additionally, thousands of APC supporters gathered outside the INEC office in protest against alleged attempts by Ighodalo to manipulate election results, urging the commission to safeguard the integrity of electoral documents.
The ongoing tensions surrounding the Edo State election underscore significant challenges in the electoral process and raise questions about the administration’s commitment to transparency and justice in Nigeria’s democratic landscape.
