Tribunal Admits BVAS Machines Used in 133 Polling Units During Edo Guber Poll
The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, accepted Bimodal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) used in 133 polling units during the conduct of the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.
The three-member panel of the tribunal led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, accepted the BVAS machines shortly after they were tendered by an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The presentation of the BVAS machines were sequel to a subpoena by the tribunal made on January 9, 2025, directing INEC, which is the 1st respondent in the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship poll, Mr Asue Ighodalo.
One of the grounds upon which the petitioners were challenging the declaration of the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo,as governor was alleged over voting, which the BVAS machine was expected to address.
At the resumed hearing of the petition, the PDP, after calling two witnesses drew the court’s attention to the compliance of INEC to the order, adding that its next witnesses would be given evidence in respect of over-voting and would need the BVAS machine in that regard.
Presenting the machines, an INEC official from the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Department, one Anthony Itodo, who claimed to be a Senior Technical Officers, informed the court that in compliance with its orders, “what I have brought here is a total of 148 BVAS machines used in 133 polling units.”
Responding, petitioners’ lawyer, Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, told the court that what the official told him was 151 machines.
However, INEC lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, explained that while 151 machines were brought, only 148 applied to the 133 polling units.
While INEC did not object to the submission of the devices, lawyers to the governor and APC objected, adding that their reasons will be made known later.
In a short ruling, the three-member panel accepted the devices as exhibits.
