The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of plotting to destroy evidence contained in the BVAS machine.
The PDP alleges that INEC filed a motion seeking to reconfigure the BVAS machines and erase relevant information required by the party to prosecute its case at the Presidential Election Tribunal.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said the move was an attempt by INEC to destroy evidence of its rigging of the February 25 presidential election. The party invited Nigerians to recall how INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu oversaw the manipulation of the election results and announced a winner despite widespread outcry over malpractices and violations of the Electoral Act 2022.
Ologunagba noted that INEC had bypassed the steps and procedures provided by the Electoral Act 2022 for the declaration of results.
The PDP obtained an order from the court directing INEC to grant the party and its candidate access to carry out a forensic examination of the ballot papers, data forms, BVAS and card readers, and all other necessary information, material, and evidence to obtain redress at the Election Tribunal. The court order jolted INEC into panic mode, and it rushed to court to request permission to reconfigure the BVAS devices to erase the information contained therein.
The PDP described INEC’s motion as obnoxious, vexatious, and provocative, and an indication of the commission’s impunity and culpability in the reported manipulations and alteration of results.
Ologunagba argued that the PDP and its presidential candidate won the February 25 presidential election based on the actual votes cast at the polling units. He accused INEC of being panicky and desperate to erase data in the BVAS machines, which contain evidence of malpractices and the commission’s culpability in the election. The PDP vowed to continue pursuing the matter in accordance with the law and expressed confidence that justice would prevail at the end of the day.
