The Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, on Thursday, witnessed a significant development as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) submitted the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used in the September 21 election.
The submission followed a subpoena obtained by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after INEC initially declined to release the machines voluntarily.
The BVAS data, now before the Tribunal, is expected to provide crucial insight into the accreditation process, with preliminary indications suggesting discrepancies between voter accreditation figures and final results declared in multiple polling units.
PDP has consistently maintained that the election was marred by over-voting, arguing that results announced by INEC exceeded the number of accredited voters in several locations.
Legal analysts suggested that the admittance of the BVAS machines in evidence by the Tribunal represented a significant boost to the complainant and PDP candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo, as the Supreme Court has ruled that the BVAS machine is the primary source of accreditation data for elections.
The Tribunal’s review of BVAS data will be critical in evaluating the PDP’s claims of over-voting and determining whether discrepancies in accreditation figures substantiate the party’s petition before the Tribunal.
Meanwhile, the APC candidate in the election, Governor Monday Okpebholo’s legal team were expected to scrutinise the evidence closely as they prepare their defense.