A clash between legal teams of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Benin, on Wednesday, stalled the inspection of electoral materials used during the September 21 governorship poll in the state.
The PDP legal team insisted that the inspection should commence with the Biometric Voter Accreditation System, while the APC’s counsel maintained that the inspection should start with the voters’ register, in accordance with a court order obtained by the PDP at the tribunal.
Following the stalemate, the PDP legal team left without speaking to journalists.
However, APC counsel, Victor Ohionsumua, addressed reporters, stating, “You are aware that the tribunal granted the PDP an ex parte order for the inspection of electoral materials. We were proactive in the APC as well and filed for inspection of materials, which was granted on October 7, 2024.
“On Tuesday, they invited us here (INEC office) to start inspecting materials today (Wednesday) at 10 a.m. Our legal team arrived and was served with a schedule. Just minutes later, the PDP legal team stated that they wanted to begin with BVAS.
“We drew the INEC officers’ attention to the order obtained by the PDP, which specifies that the inspection should start with the voters’ register. So, on what basis are they complying with the order when they said we should start with the BVAS machines?
“INEC reviewed the order and found that our objection had merit, concluding that we should begin the inspection with the voters’ register.
“Unfortunately, since we were not involved in the preparation of the schedule, we did not bring our own voters’ register today (Wednesday). We cannot inspect the voters’ register without having another register for comparison.
“We therefore requested that, given the time constraints and the lack of our voters’ register, the inspection be adjourned till tomorrow (Thursday). Our application for adjournment was upheld, and we will return here at 10 a.m. tomorrow. The political parties—about seven of them—have all agreed to reconvene.”
In response to the events at the INEC office, the Director General of the Asue/Ogie Campaign Management Council, Mathew Iduoriyekewen, alleged that INEC was intentionally delaying the material inspection process due to the time-sensitive nature of the case before the tribunal.
He stated, “It is clear that INEC is delaying this process because the filing of the case at the tribunal is time-bound. We have obtained an injunction allowing our lawyers to inspect the materials, yet we have been unable to do so for two days, despite going to INEC for that purpose.
“What INEC did today (Wednesday) was to summon the lawyers of both parties, and when the APC arrived at the venue with a large number of thugs, it was concerning. This is not the first time materials have been inspected, so I don’t understand why this instance is different.
“We will be there tomorrow (Thursday). I will be there personally to ensure that INEC complies with the court order. We either operate as a democracy or we don’t. If we are in a dictatorship, they should let us know that is what we are practicing.”
The acting Chairman of the Edo APC, Jarrett Tenebe, expressed concerns regarding the voters’ register, stating that the name of the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was not included.
He added, “You are aware that the case between the PDP and the APC, which is still in the Supreme Court, pertains to the status of the PDP candidate as a registered member of the party in the state, which is why the voters’ register is an issue.
“In the register INEC provided us before the election, we thoroughly examined it and discovered that it does not include Asue Ighodalo. That is why we want to scrutinise the register they (the PDP) provide to ensure we are not inspecting a fraudulent one.”
At the INEC office, APC members gathered outside the building, playing songs and praising the winner of the election, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Meanwhile, PDP supporters congregated at Ramat Park to avoid a clash, and police were stationed around the office.
A red tape was also used to barricade the building, restricting access to those with business in the office.
