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Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials - Politics - Nairaland

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Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by ogugwa1992: 12:49pm On Oct 07
as APC allegedly deploys thugs to intimidate lawyers

In a brazen disregard for the rule of law, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to comply with a court order secured by Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State. The order, granted by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, directed INEC to allow PDP lawyers and forensic experts to inspect critical election materials used in the controversial September 21, 2024 governorship election.

The court, presided over by Hon. Justice W.I. Kpochi, had on September 29, 2024, issued the ruling after reviewing the motion filed by PDP’s legal team. The order granted unfettered access to several key documents in INEC’s possession, including voter registers, ballot papers, and results from the BVAS machines used in the election. The court specifically mandated the inspection of forms EC25B, EC40A, EC40C, and EC8A, which recorded voting and accreditation results from the 4,519 polling units across Edo State.

Despite the clear legal directive, INEC has reportedly stalled the process. An unnamed source within INEC revealed that the Commission is awaiting “an order from above” before it allows the PDP team to begin their inspection of the materials. This development has caused significant concern about the integrity of the electoral process, particularly given the high stakes in the disputed governorship election and the fact that the PDP candidate only has 5 days left to file his election petition.

Police Blockade and APC Intimidation Tactics

The PDP’s efforts to inspect the materials were further thwarted when officers of the Nigerian Police physically prevented the party’s lawyers and forensic experts from even reaching the gates of the INEC office in Benin City. Witnesses at the scene reported that the police, stationed outside the premises, refused to allow the PDP team entry, in what many have described as an unlawful obstruction of justice.

The situation escalated just 10 minutes after the PDP team arrived, when a group of APC members descended on the INEC premises. The APC members, reportedly acting in a coordinated effort, were allowed by the Police to confront the PDP lawyers, who were forced to flee the scene. According to eyewitnesses, the thugs harassed and threatened the PDP legal team, effectively ensuring that the court-mandated inspection could not proceed.

Court Order Details

The court order issued by the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was explicit in its instructions. Among the key reliefs granted were:

1. Unrestricted Access: INEC was directed to provide the PDP’s legal and forensic team with unfettered access to all electoral materials in its custody, including:
• BVAS machines used during the election for voter accreditation.
• Voter registers for all polling units.
• All forms used in the election, including EC25B, EC40A, EC40C, and EC8A.
• Polling unit results uploaded to the INEC IREV portal.

2. Immediate Action: INEC was mandated to ensure the safekeeping and preservation of all electoral materials, ensuring they were not tampered with, pending the outcome of the inspection and subsequent legal proceedings.

3. Forensic Examination: The court granted PDP forensic experts access to examine the authenticity of election documents and materials used during the governorship election.

However, INEC’s refusal to comply with these clear directives, and the Nigerian Police’s blockade, now cast serious doubt on the possibility of a transparent legal resolution to the disputed election results; and suggests there might be collusion between the institutions to sabotage the election petition.

PDP’s Response

Speaking on behalf of the PDP, a senior legal representative expressed outrage at the events that unfolded, describing them as a blatant attack on democracy. “This is a clear case of obstruction of justice. The court has granted us the right to inspect these materials, and yet INEC and the Police are preventing us from exercising that right. It is becoming evident that powerful forces are working behind the scenes to sabotage the legal process,” the spokesperson said.

The PDP is now considering filing for contempt of court against INEC officials and is also weighing the possibility of legal action against the Nigerian Police for their role in preventing access to the Commission’s office.

Tensions Mount in Edo State

The refusal to comply with the court order, combined with the intimidation tactics allegedly deployed by APC members, has heightened tensions in Edo State. PDP supporters have called for immediate intervention to ensure that justice is not undermined. “We will not stand by while INEC and the APC collude to subvert the will of the people,” one party official stated.

Observers are now closely watching how the situation unfolds, particularly whether the judiciary will take further action to enforce its ruling and whether INEC will eventually comply with the order. The PDP has vowed to continue its legal battle to reclaim what it believes is its rightful victory in the September 21 election, despite the mounting obstacles.
https://leaders.ng/2024/10/07/edo-inec-ignores-court-orders-refuses-pdp-access-to-election-materials/

3 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by onome25(m): 1:00pm On Oct 07
ogugwa1992:
as APC allegedly deploys thugs to intimidate lawyers

Benin City, Edo State – In a brazen disregard for the rule of law, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to comply with a court order secured by Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State. The order, granted by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, directed INEC to allow PDP lawyers and forensic experts to inspect critical election materials used in the controversial September 21, 2024 governorship election.

The court, presided over by Hon. Justice W.I. Kpochi, had on September 29, 2024, issued the ruling after reviewing the motion filed by PDP’s legal team. The order granted unfettered access to several key documents in INEC’s possession, including voter registers, ballot papers, and results from the BVAS machines used in the election. The court specifically mandated the inspection of forms EC25B, EC40A, EC40C, and EC8A, which recorded voting and accreditation results from the 4,519 polling units across Edo State.

Despite the clear legal directive, INEC has reportedly stalled the process. An unnamed source within INEC revealed that the Commission is awaiting “an order from above” before it allows the PDP team to begin their inspection of the materials. This development has caused significant concern about the integrity of the electoral process, particularly given the high stakes in the disputed governorship election and the fact that the PDP candidate only has 5 days left to file his election petition.

Police Blockade and APC Intimidation Tactics

The PDP’s efforts to inspect the materials were further thwarted when officers of the Nigerian Police physically prevented the party’s lawyers and forensic experts from even reaching the gates of the INEC office in Benin City. Witnesses at the scene reported that the police, stationed outside the premises, refused to allow the PDP team entry, in what many have described as an unlawful obstruction of justice.

The situation escalated just 10 minutes after the PDP team arrived, when a group of APC members descended on the INEC premises. The APC members, reportedly acting in a coordinated effort, were allowed by the Police to confront the PDP lawyers, who were forced to flee the scene. According to eyewitnesses, the thugs harassed and threatened the PDP legal team, effectively ensuring that the court-mandated inspection could not proceed.

Court Order Details

The court order issued by the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was explicit in its instructions. Among the key reliefs granted were:

1. Unrestricted Access: INEC was directed to provide the PDP’s legal and forensic team with unfettered access to all electoral materials in its custody, including:
• BVAS machines used during the election for voter accreditation.
• Voter registers for all polling units.
• All forms used in the election, including EC25B, EC40A, EC40C, and EC8A.
• Polling unit results uploaded to the INEC IREV portal.
2. Immediate Action: INEC was mandated to ensure the safekeeping and preservation of all electoral materials, ensuring they were not tampered with, pending the outcome of the inspection and subsequent legal proceedings.
3. Forensic Examination: The court granted PDP forensic experts access to examine the authenticity of election documents and materials used during the governorship election.
However, INEC’s refusal to comply with these clear directives, and the Nigerian Police’s blockade, now cast serious doubt on the possibility of a transparent legal resolution to the disputed election results; and suggests there might be collusion between the institutions to sabotage the election petition.

PDP’s Response

Speaking on behalf of the PDP, a senior legal representative expressed outrage at the events that unfolded, describing them as a blatant attack on democracy. “This is a clear case of obstruction of justice. The court has granted us the right to inspect these materials, and yet INEC and the Police are preventing us from exercising that right. It is becoming evident that powerful forces are working behind the scenes to sabotage the legal process,” the spokesperson said.

The PDP is now considering filing for contempt of court against INEC officials and is also weighing the possibility of legal action against the Nigerian Police for their role in preventing access to the Commission’s office.

Tensions Mount in Edo State

The refusal to comply with the court order, combined with the intimidation tactics allegedly deployed by APC members, has heightened tensions in Edo State. PDP supporters have called for immediate intervention to ensure that justice is not undermined. “We will not stand by while INEC and the APC collude to subvert the will of the people,” one party official stated.

Observers are now closely watching how the situation unfolds, particularly whether the judiciary will take further action to enforce its ruling and whether INEC will eventually comply with the order. The PDP has vowed to continue its legal battle to reclaim what it believes is its rightful victory in the September 21 election, despite the mounting obstacles.

https://leaders.ng/2024/10/07/edo-inec-ignores-court-orders-refuses-pdp-access-to-election-materials/






How possible is this news?
Can INEC stop an inspection of electoral materials
Well , if this is true then NIGERIA as a nation is finished embarassed

25 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by vowiski(m): 1:02pm On Oct 07
So Obaseki can’t deploy his own government security to enforce the court order.

Obaseki is a coward!

9 Likes 1 Share

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by ottersberger(m): 1:19pm On Oct 07
onome25:


How possible is this news?
Can INEC stop an inspection of electoral materials
Well , if this is true then NIGERIA as a nation is finished embarassed

This is a script from the last presidential elections. LP and PDP suffered this very fate in varying degrees.

35 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by brainpulse: 1:21pm On Oct 07
PDP and LP are dangerous to Nigeria's democracy.

29 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Samogloby: 1:24pm On Oct 07
Idiots plenty for this country, referring to some comments on this platform

9 Likes 1 Share

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Oghene86: 1:24pm On Oct 07
ogugwa1992:
as APC allegedly deploys thugs to intimidate lawyers


https://leaders.ng/2024/10/07/edo-inec-ignores-court-orders-refuses-pdp-access-to-election-materials/


So INEC is not obeying court orders 😂 but when Fubara did you all went mad, we can the whole country is now tillting towards anarchy, Tinubu the man that built Lagos destroyed Nigeria 😂 🤣 😄




Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by MadPolitician: 1:25pm On Oct 07
At this point, one has to wonder where some Nigerians get the courage to trust any aspect of INEC. The organisation is unashamedly corrupt, inept and beholden to the whims of a corrupt few. We all know this, but few months from now, they will start with their noise about the importance of getting your voters card ready, and all that sickening talk about the power of the ubiquitous PVC.

Yet, we all know that the elections will be rigged, massively too, as they are always rigged. So where do you guys get this sort of neptune optimism to still go ahead an participate, when it'sobvious even to the blind, that the whole process will be rigged? I think that decent politicians who participate in dubious elections in this country, only end up legitimatizing a corrupt process with their presence.

13 Likes 1 Share

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by ceejayluv(m): 1:25pm On Oct 07
vowiski:
So Obaseki can’t deploy his own government security to enforce the court order.

Obaseki is a coward!
Which security is a state govt controlling? Vigilante?

8 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by ourcrudeoil: 1:25pm On Oct 07
When we have criminal as the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, the drug baron....

11 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Racoon(m): 1:26pm On Oct 07
This is the fraudulent INEC Nigeria got today.

1 Like

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Elusive001: 1:26pm On Oct 07
onome25:


How possible is this news?
Can INEC stop an inspection of electoral materials
Well , if this is true then NIGERIA as a nation is finished embarassed




That is APC's modus operandi. They did it in 2023 against LP and PDP.




https://www.thecable.ng/inec-has-refused-to-allow-obi-access-presidential-election-materials-says-lp-campaign/amp/




https://dailypost.ng/2023/11/20/imo-lp-supporters-storm-inec-office-over-denial-of-access-to-election-materials/

5 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by ATEAMS: 1:26pm On Oct 07
CJN what dou have to say about disobedience of orders under your watch ma..?

13 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Ddeliverer007(m): 1:26pm On Oct 07
So anybody can just collaborate with police and write any result they like?? This one na country??

10 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Ddeliverer007(m): 1:27pm On Oct 07
What a useless country.

TPain has taking us back to the Stone Age..

Tinubu is a disaster..

7 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by blackboy(m): 1:27pm On Oct 07
INEC and every sane Nigerian knows to there is no proof APC won that election. They are running around trying to configure data/lies after announcing a fake result.

6 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by samwash(m): 1:27pm On Oct 07
And you want Obaseki to follow court order to reinstate his impeached deputy governor.
Nigeria is a joke

8 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by tnerro1(m): 1:28pm On Oct 07
Nigeria jagajaga, everywhere scatter scatter

3 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by adioolayi(m): 1:28pm On Oct 07
Na wa o..

The politicians are the major problem of this country...

As far as election is concerned, just make sure you are not rigged out....ensure you rig yourself in first.... because e get why grin grin grin

When you don hold your side finish..ensuring you are not rigged out and you've rigged yourself in...then, court actions seems to be a joke these days.

Just like Gov Fubara don ensure his APP stooges don enter finish...make others go court.

grin grin grin grin grin

28 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by adioolayi(m): 1:29pm On Oct 07
samwash:
And you want Obaseki to follow court order to reinstate his impeached deputy governor.
Nigeria is a joke

Na same same na..
Just like saying, Obaseki of the PDP refusing court order when he no suit am...cannot be saying INEC is refusing court order.


Summarily, all of them are mad

24 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Jestin: 1:30pm On Oct 07
This country is a joke
Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by press9jatv: 1:31pm On Oct 07
Once you don lose on the battle field, forget it otilo tefetefe 🥱🥱🥱🥱
Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Olu1000: 1:35pm On Oct 07
vowiski:
So Obaseki can’t deploy his own government security to enforce the court order.

Obaseki is a coward!


How is Obaseki a coward ? Does Obaseki control the Police ? The Police is controlled by the Federal Government via IGP.Now that we have Tinubu’s former house boy as IG of Police, you can deduce where the Police preventing PDP lawyers from accessing the State INEC office are getting their orders from.

7 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Bitojoe(m): 1:38pm On Oct 07
onome25:


How possible is this news?
Can INEC stop an inspection of electoral materials
Well , if this is true then NIGERIA as a nation is finished embarassed

It's finished already.

1 Like

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Bendeco02: 1:39pm On Oct 07
Funny country with funny judiciary.

The judiciary should be scrapped since the ruling party and INEC don't respect their order.

Although we all know that our judiaciary has always be the extension of the ruling party but they should pretend sometimes as if they don't have link

5 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Smartcitizen: 1:41pm On Oct 07
Hmmmm!

We have al seen from Tinubu's fumbling government that no opposition party is better than the government they are criticizing.

PDP people are better than Tinubu in all ramifications.




🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by Godjone(m): 1:42pm On Oct 07
angry

To thief village drum is easy but to get a place to play it is the wahala. By the grace of God God almighty if any revolution begins in Nigeria today, INEC will be the number one casualty.

Very useless institution sad

3 Likes

Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by oluseyiforjesus(m): 1:43pm On Oct 07
Wahala be like wetin
Re: Edo: INEC Ignores Court Orders, Refuses PDP Access To Election Materials by themanderon: 1:44pm On Oct 07
PDP was magnanimous in handing over power to these devilish rogues in 2015 but it seems the rogues are hell bent on state capture. It seems these rogues would have to be forced out of power because they have shown time and Time again that they will not respect the wishes of the people casting their votes but would rather continue to steal elections after election using federal might.

7 Likes

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