In a significant development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State caved in under immense pressure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s candidate in the September 21 governorship election, Dr Asue Ighodalo, by finally agreeing to allow the candidate’s legal representatives opportunity to inspect materials used for the much-discredited election by both participants and official observers.
The electoral umpire had refused to allow the petitioners’ legal team access to the materials by playing hide and seek despite tendering a court order to that effect. Unhappy that INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were deliberately applying delay and time wasting tactics to frustrate their efforts at filing a water tight petition, Dr Ighodalo mounted a vigorous public outcry that culminated in the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Anugbom Onuoha, issuing a statement on Tuesday that PDP and the candidate can now come forward on Wednesday for the inspection.
In a strongly worded statement on Monday titled ‘Edo 2024: Stop Your Obstructive Tactics, TAMO Tells Police and APC Thugs,’ and signed by Erhabor Emokpae, Team Asue Media Organisation (TAMO) charged the Nigeria Police Force, APC and INEC to “immediately cease their obstructive tactics aimed at frustrating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, in the September 21 governorship election in his quest for legitimate access to BVAS data used for the election,” insisting that “these actions not only undermine the core principles of democracy but also threaten the rule of law in Nigeria,”
TAMO further noted that “despite overwhelming evidence of electoral malfeasance, the PDP’s efforts to seek justice through the judiciary have been met with aggressive resistance from APC-aligned thugs and complicit law enforcement officers. Elements of the police, rather than upholding the law, have allied themselves with those intent on derailing justice by preventing the PDP from accessing the BVAS machines used in the election, despite a despite a court order authorising such access.”
Reacting to the development on Wednesday morning, Emokpae said it was gratifying to see the efforts mounted by the PDP, Team Asue and Edo women to ensure that PDP legal team is allowed unfettered access to inspect the materials finally paid off.
