Imo LP alleges: INEC defies court order for BVAS inspection

The Labour Party (LP) in Imo has raised allegations against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the electoral body of obstructing their access to the Biometric Voter Authentication System (BVAS) used in the November 11 Governorship Election. The LP’s Chairman, Mr. Callistus Ihejiagwa, made these claims during a press briefing in Owerri on Saturday, asserting that INEC’s actions contravene a November 26, 2023 order from the Election Petition Tribunal in Owerri.

Applications for the inspection of election materials, including BVAS, were submitted to INEC by several parties, including LP, PDP, YPP, and APGA. Ihejiagwa emphasized that the forensic examination of election materials, particularly the BVAS, was explicitly outlined in the Tribunal’s order.

According to Ihejiagwa, despite the Tribunal’s order, INEC denied access to the BVAS for inspection, citing that only the commission’s headquarters had the authority to grant such access. He revealed that, of the over 5,000 BVAS machines, only 65 were made available for inspection, and the LP’s forensic experts were denied access to these machines.

Expressing concern, Ihejiagwa questioned INEC’s apparent effort to obstruct the legal process in an election where the commission serves as a neutral arbiter. He highlighted the urgency of the situation, as the LP has less than 24 hours to examine the BVAS machines and present their findings to the Election Petition Tribunal.

Counsel to the LP governorship candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, Mr. Okwudili Anozie, stressed the importance of the tribunal’s order for the forensic examination of BVAS machines to ensure their integrity. Anozie criticized INEC’s non-compliance with the order and reiterated the party’s confidence in the judiciary to ensure justice prevails.

It’s worth noting that INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Emmanuella Ben-Opara, had confirmed on Tuesday that the requested materials for inspection were ready and awaiting examination. The discrepancies between the LP’s claims and INEC’s confirmation add complexity to the ongoing situation.