The gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 election in Enugu State, Barr Chijioke Edeoga, has petitioned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmoud Yakubu, alleging that the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chukwuemeka Chukwu, denied his team access to inspect electoral materials, especially the Voter Accreditation Systems, BVAS.
Edeoga, in a petition he personally issued to the INEC boss, lamented that the REC refused to allow his legal team and experts access to vital electoral materials despite being directed to do so.
The LP candidate had, through his counsels, written to the INEC Chairman, demanding access to the BVAS machines used in the March governorship election.
The letter, which was dated June 26, 2023, and received by INEC on July 3, 2023, reminded the INEC boss that the tribunal had fixed the hearing of the petition for July 7, 2023, urging the electoral umpire to allow them access to the machines.
But according to Edeoga, following the alleged refusal of REC to grant the access, a fresh letter was issued on Monday, July 6, 2023, reminding the INEC Chairman of the need to have access to the materials.
The letter reads in part: “I want to inform you that in Enugu, the LP is being frustrated from inspecting the BVAS machines, notwithstanding the numerous court orders issued in that regard”.
The LP candidate begged the INEC chairman to prevail on the REC to allow his team “access to the BVAS machines in obedience of the properly issued order of the tribunal.”
