The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other election materials from the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, in defiance of a court order.
PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba alleged that compromised INEC officials delayed compliance with the court’s directive while allowing thugs, reportedly hired by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to enter INEC’s Edo office to create confusion. This, according to the PDP, was an attempt to prevent its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, from accessing crucial election materials.
Ologunagba condemned the refusal of INEC officials in Edo to grant the PDP access to BVAS machines and other documents, despite an Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal order dated September 29, 2024. The court had mandated that PDP and its candidate be given unfettered access to all electoral documents, including voter registers and ballot papers.
The PDP further claimed that INEC’s actions support allegations of collusion with the APC to alter election results, suggesting that data in the BVAS machines and other sensitive materials might be tampered with to favor the defeated APC candidate.
The party called on Nigerians and the international community to recognize the threats posed by INEC’s behavior, warning that such actions undermine democracy and the credibility of elections.
