INEC in Edo State has once again denied the PDP and its candidate access to the BVAS machines and other materials, even with a court order.
Also, the women wing of PDP in Edo State said they’ll keep peacefully protesting until they get back the party’s stolen mandate.
Olusegun Jolaawo and his legal crew from the PDP candidate’s team showed up in Edo State to check out the BVAS and other election materials.
But the team was denied access even though they showed the court order to INEC officials.
The visit was a result of a court order signed by Secretary Mu’azu Ibrahim Bagudu Esq. and Chairman Honourable Justice W. I. Kpochi.
The court told INEC to give Ighodalo and PDP the full list of electoral materials they have and let them make copies.
The INEC officials made Ighodalo’s team wait for hours and then told them to come back on Tuesday.
The team came back again today, but they couldn’t get their hands on the materials.
In response, Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, said on Tuesday that it’s just a delay tactic by INEC and the APC to block justice and sabotage PDP’s efforts to reclaim their allegedly stolen mandate from the September 21 governorship election.
“We are aware that the clandestine and surreptitious game plan is to frustrate the PDP appeal and ensure the petition is not filed before the Saturday deadline,” Nehikhare said.
He said APC wants to burn the INEC office to get rid of the evidence of their “electoral fraud.”
Nehikhare assured that PDP will keep exposing the election theft and fighting for its mandate.
He urged the police to take charge of the INEC office to stop the planned attack and burning.
He mentioned that the police should also make sure the court order allowing PDP to check the election materials is followed.
The Edo State PDP women’s group said they won’t stop protesting until the party’s governorship mandate is returned.
Stella Okoro, former chairman of Esan West Local Government Council, spoke at the NUJ state office about their profound sadness regarding the state’s governorship election.
Okoro said that Ighodalo was the rightful candidate, but they stole his victory.
She stated, “We are here today in NUJ, to express our feelings and our pains. We are troubled because of our stolen mandate. Our stolen mandate is what we are asking for.
“We are not lions and tigers, we voted. Edo people came out to vote for Asue Ighodalo and that is why we, mothers, are here today. We are in pains, we are mourning, we are on black, telling them to give us back our stolen mandate.
“Our stolen mandate, that mandate was given to Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie. Now the lions and tigers are now out to come and claim what does not belong to them.
“We tell them no. It is our mandate. We are calling on the INEC, we are calling on the police, we are calling on the soldiers that they used to intimidate us, that they used to rob us. Before the election, they were embarrassing our sons and daughters.”
“We tell them no. It is our mandate. We are calling on the INEC, we are calling on the police, we are calling on the soldiers that they used to intimidate us, that they used to rob us. Before the election, they were embarrassing our sons and daughters.”
Opinion: INEC denies Edo PDP access to BVAS despite court order
If hands are clean, they should allow PDP to go through the election materials used in the Edo governorship election.
It’s easy for us to say obey law and order, but it starts with our leaders and institutions.
I like how Nehikhare, Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, quickly exposed possible tactics the opposition may wants to use.
At least for now, they would have to go have a rethink.
But for the main time, INEC should obey court order.