The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has admitted Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as evidence in the legal dispute over the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
The move follows a subpoena obtained by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after INEC initially declined to release the devices voluntarily.
The BVAS data is expected to play a crucial role in the tribunal’s review, particularly in verifying allegations of over-voting raised by the PDP.
According to preliminary assessments, inconsistencies have emerged between the number of accredited voters recorded by BVAS and the final election results announced by INEC in certain polling units.
The PDP argues that in several locations, the figures declared by the electoral commission exceeded the actual number of accredited voters, a discrepancy that could significantly impact the outcome of the petition.
During the tribunal proceedings, a PDP collation agent from Akoko Edo Ward 9 testified under oath, stating that while voting was conducted properly in the 13 polling units of the ward, the results presented at the ward collation center did not match the records uploaded on INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
He claimed that an alternative set of results was introduced at the collation center, prompting him to refuse to sign the result sheet.
A similar testimony was given by a PDP agent from Oredo Local Government, who alleged that the final results declared by INEC in Ward 1 did not align with the data from polling units or IREV uploads.
The tribunal accepted certified true copies (CTCs) of exhibits submitted by the PDP, which reportedly highlight discrepancies between official results and BVAS records.
Legal experts believe the tribunal’s acceptance of BVAS data as evidence marks a significant step in the case.
The Supreme Court had ruled that BVAS serves as the primary source of accreditation data, making it a critical reference for assessing election validity.
If substantial discrepancies are confirmed, it could bolster the PDP’s claims of electoral malpractice.
Meanwhile, Governor Monday Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) legal team are expected to challenge the PDP’s claims as they prepare their defence.
