Six Edo Political Parties Agree to Jointly Inspect Election Materials Amid APC-PDP Tension

Six political parties that participated in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election have agreed to jointly inspect electoral materials, despite the looming deadline issued by the tribunal. The inspection, which was supposed to start on Wednesday, was delayed after disagreements arose between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over how the process should proceed.

The PDP called for the inspection to begin with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, while the APC insisted it should start with the voters’ register, as outlined by the tribunal. In a joint statement on Friday, the six parties announced a new date for the inspection, citing the “inability” of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commence the process on October 11 as initially planned.

The statement reads, “Political parties that participated in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, on Friday resolved to adjourn the tribunal ordering a joint inspection of election materials at the Benin City office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, to Monday, October 14, 2024, by 11 am.”

This resolution was signed by representatives of six political parties, including the Action People’s Party (APP), BOOT Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Action Alliance Party (AAP), Zenith Party, and the APC. The election had been won by Senator Monday Okpebholo.

Meanwhile, INEC has dismissed allegations by the APC that the PDP had smuggled BVAS machines and voters’ registers into the commission’s office. In a statement, Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner Dr. Anugbum Onuoha termed the claims as “baseless, unsubstantiated, and entirely without merit.”

“INEC maintains a steadfast commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process, and at no time were the BVAS machines or voters’ registers compromised or unlawfully accessed by any political party or external entity,” Onuoha stated.

He emphasized that INEC is fully prepared to facilitate the inspection process in line with the tribunal’s orders and urged all political actors to focus on democratic principles while avoiding actions that could undermine public trust in the electoral system.