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INEC Challenges Atiku, Obi’s Suit on BVAS, Asks Court to Vary Orders

Published

2 years ago

March 7, 2023

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission has asked the Presidential Election Petition Court to vary the orders that were granted to the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively, to inspect materials used for the last presidential election.

INEC, in a motion on notice filed on March 4, is praying the court to vary the order which restrained it from tampering with materials used for the election.

The commission said it needed to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System for the next round of elections.

The appellate court had on March 3 granted leave to Atiku and Obi to inspect election materials used by INEC in the conduct of the February 25 presidential election.

A panel of the appellate court led by Justice Joseph Ikyegh granted the permission following two separate ex parte applications filed by Atiku and Obi, who came second and third respectively in the presidential election won by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

In the application filed by the commission and sighted by NAN, the commission is asking the court to vary the order to allow it to reconfigure its 176,846 BVAS for the March 11 governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

NAN reports that it is the sole prayer in the application of the electoral umpire filed at the court.

No date has however been fixed for hearing of the application.

According to a source, considering the number of BVAS required to conduct the election across the states, INEC needs to reconfigure the BVAS used for the February 25 elections and deploy them to polling units for the March 11 elections.

The source said that the technical team of the commission had to be deployed on time to start the reconfiguration of the devices, which had to be done one by one.

The official further said the order was pertinent as not getting it could result in the postponement of the Saturday governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

BVAS machines

The credible source explained that the application became necessary following the order restraining INEC from tampering with the information embedded in the BVAS machines until the due inspection was conducted and Certified True Copies of them were issued, noting that the commission would require sufficient time to reconfigure the BVAS needed to conduct the polls.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, could not be reached for a reaction on Monday as he did not respond to several calls and the text message sent to him on the issue.

Meanwhile, the PDP has said the ruling of the Court of Appeal granting its presidential candidate permission to inspect election materials had yet to be complied with by the electoral commission.

A member of the National Working Committee of the party disclosed this to The PUNCH on Monday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the NWC member stated that part of the reason for the protest by the party chieftains on Monday was the refusal of the commission to obey the order of the appellate court.

“The legal team of the PDP has not commenced the process of inspecting the documents used for the election, not because it is not ready but because INEC has not granted the team access to the materials.

“It is too early to say that they have an ulterior motive but they can’t deny us of our right. They can only delay the process but they cannot stop the PDP.

“If in the next few days, they don’t grant us access to the documents, there is a provision of the law that will compel them to obey the pronouncement of the court,” he said.

When contacted, the Director of Strategic Communications, National Election Management Committee of the PDP Campaign Council, Dele Momodu, stated, ‘’Don’t you think INEC has abused that ruling? They may also have appealed the ruling and if that is the case, there is nothing we can do in the interim.’’

Meanwhile, the PDP has welcomed the application by INEC seeking leave of the court to reconfigure the BVAS.

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, described the development as “A second litmus test of the INEC’s commitment to credible polls.”

But the All Progressives Congress on Monday night asked INEC to educate Nigerians on why it needed to reconfigure the BVAS ahead of Saturday’s election.

APC seeks explanations

Speaking in an interview, the Chief Spokesman for the APC presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo, disclosed that though INEC had been vested with the power to hold elections in the country, it still owed Nigerians an explanation on why the technological device should be reconfigured.

He said, “INEC has the statutory powers to do whatever it is they are doing. And if they have to work within those powers to ensure that the elections are free and fair, then there is no problem so long as they explain to the parties what they are doing to avoid giving room for suspicion.

‘’The need to reconfigure those systems is also not clear enough to me. I think INEC needs to explain to the public very well why it needs to do that in a psychological sense because this is about technology.

The Punch

Featured

Nwaebonyi’s Actions, a Slap on His Constituents – Former Presidential Aspirant, Tari Oba

Published

2 hours ago

March 26, 2025

Eric

A former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant in the 2023 general elections, Mrs Tari Oliver Oba, has carpeted the lawmarker, representing Ebonyi North Central District in the upper chamber, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, for his insulting remarks at a former Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili during a senate hearing, saying it’s a slap in the face to those he represents.

Mrs Oba, who is an alumna of the School of Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG), founded by Mrs Ezekwesili, frowned at the senator’s outburst and use of foul languages to describe the former Minister, who was known as madam due process during her time, noting that the senator’s verbal attacks “undermines the values of respect, dignity, and open dialogue that we hold dear as a nation.”

Before is Mrs Oba’s detailed statement

I am appalled by Senator Nwebonyi’s unacceptable behavior towards Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education and the founder of The School of Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG), at the just concluded Senate committee hearing on the allegation of sexual harassment raised by Sen Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan. Senator Nwaebonyi’s actions, caught on camera, were a blatant display of bullying, intimidation, and silencing of Dr. Ezekwesili.

This behavior is not only a personal attack on Dr. Ezekwesili but also undermines the values of respect, dignity, and open dialogue that we hold dear as a nation. As citizens, we expect our public officials to maintain decorum and respect, especially when interacting with others.

Senator Nwaebonyi’s actions indicate a prioritization of scoring cheap political points over serving the people. Dr. Ezekwesili, like any other citizen, deserves dignity and respect. I urge Senator Nwebonyi to take a step back, reflect on his behavior, and apologize for his actions.

We need leaders who engage in constructive dialogue, not those who resort to insults and personal attacks when they’re unable to match intelligence and constructive debates. Let’s demand more from our public officials. They should be held accountable for their actions and inactions, and maintain a level of civility and respect, even in the face of disagreement.

Senator Nwebonyi’s actions are a slap in the face to those he represents, and it’s crucial he takes responsibility. I call on all well-meaning Nigerians to speak out against this trend of abusing women. No country can progress while disrespecting its women.

Featured

Samsung’s CEO, Han Jong-Hee, Dies at 63

Published

2 days ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

The co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, Han Jong-Hee, has died of heart attack on Tuesday. He was aged 63.

A spokesperson for the South Korean tech giant confirmed this.

Han, who oversaw Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses became the Chief Executive Officer of South Korea’s biggest company in 2022.

He had joined the tech giant in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before he started to run Samsung’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operations.

In a tribute to the deceased, Samsung said Han dedicated more than 37 years of his life to leading Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader.

The company said, Han as the head of its electronics and appliances businesses, contributed to its growth amid challenging business environment.

Featured

HURIWA Tasks Fagbemi, Onanuga to Prove Fubara’s Alleged Link to Militants

Published

2 days ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has criticised the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, for alleging that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is connected to militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The group described the claims as baseless and lacking credible evidence.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, addressed remarks made by Fagbemi last week, accusing Fubara of “tele-guiding militants” to sabotage oil installations.

Onanuga, in a separate opinion piece, supported the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing intelligence reports suggesting militant threats linked to the governor.

“These are serious allegations that can destabilise not only Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta, yet no concrete evidence has been made public to substantiate them,” Onwubiko said, faulting the officials’ reliance on unverified intelligence.

HURIWA highlighted Governor Fubara’s denial of the allegations in an official statement earlier on Monday, where he rejected any ties to militant groups and labeled viral videos alleging explosions on oil and gas facilities in Rivers State as “fake and malicious.”

The group praised Fubara’s call for security agencies to investigate the videos’ origins and prosecute those responsible.
“Governor Fubara’s insistence on peace and constitutional governance has been clear in all his public engagements. It is disheartening to see such character assassination being perpetuated from the highest levels of the federal government,” Onwubiko stated.

The association questioned why federal authorities have not presented tangible evidence if it exists, arguing, “As far as we are concerned, the dissemination of these unproven claims is not just unprofessional but a dangerous precedent in the democratic space.”

HURIWA also challenged Fagbemi and Onanuga to avoid “pettiness and rumour mongering,” urging them to base their statements on facts.

“It is disgraceful that at a time when Nigerians are yearning for stability and good governance, top officials of the federal government are busy engaging in baseless accusations, further tarnishing Nigeria’s image before the international community,” the statement added.

The group further criticized the state of emergency in Rivers State as “unconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated,” asserting that no evidence of war or a breakdown of law and order, as required by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, has been shown. “The AGF and other federal agents must be reminded that the Supreme Court judgment, which is now being used to justify executive overreach in Rivers State, does not license rumour-based governance,” HURIWA noted.

HURIWA urged Fubara to pursue legal action against those making the claims, stating, “even if the judiciary is seen by some as compromised, it is essential to set the record straight by taking advantage of available legal avenues.”

The association called on security agencies to launch a transparent forensic investigation into the allegations and incidents in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers State, insisting it must remain free of political interference. “The dangerous game of labeling peaceful citizens as militants without evidence is not only reckless but risks plunging Rivers State into avoidable chaos. Nigeria’s democracy deserves better,” the group concluded.