Edo PDP, APC Trade Words Over Inspection Of Election Materials

By Ayodele Oni

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has alleged that some thugs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) prevented its legal team from inspecting materials used for last month governorship election.

The party claimed that the APC is deliberately stalling the inspection of the BVAS and other election materials for the September 21 Edo governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had release a circular on Tuesday calling on political parties to send their representatives for inspection.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the State, Anugbum Onuoha, in the publication said, “I wish to inform the public that the inspection of the election materials, including the BVAS devices, has been formally scheduled to take place tomorrow (Wednesday October 9, 2024), at 10:00am, at the INEC headquarters in Edo State.

All political parties and their representatives are invited to participate in the exercise, as per the legal procedures, to ensure transparency and the rule of law.”

PDP stated that “Getting there on Wednesday, armed thugs of the APC extraction, numbering over 500 including the Party’s State Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, has barricaded the INEC premises, preventing the PDP/Asue-Ogie lawyers and other Party representatives from carrying out their lawful duty.”

Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, Director General of the PDP/Asue-Ogie Campaign Council, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, condemned the action of the APC and called on security agencies to intervene as he and other Party stalwarts will be at the INEC office on Thursday  to personally witness the inspection exercise.

“We are aware of clandestine plans by the APC to stall the inspection process; having secured a court order to inspect the BVAS and other election materials.

“We should not naturally face any resistant from the opposition APC; their action today however, suggests the Party is unwilling to respect court order.

“We shall all be there tomorrow, to ensure the smooth facilitation of the process, I call on the Police, DSS and other security agencies in the State to intervene so as to prevent a break of law and order.

“The APC if truly they won the September 21 Edo governorship election should confidently chest out to show forth their victory, stalling the inspection of the BVAS and other materials for the poll suggests a foul play and that will be unfolded tomorrow.”

APC chairman, Tenebe, who spoke on behalf of the party, noted that PDP did not have the party’s register and so could not depend on the register from INEC to start the process.

“Considering the other unfounded excuses as given by the APC, one could deduce that the Party is unprepared for the inspection, hence doing all it can to stall or delay the process.