Edo INEC Commissioner Denies Blocking Access to Election Materials

Oru Leonard 

Edo State’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has categorically denied allegations of obstructing political parties and their representatives from inspecting election materials and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices used in the recent governorship election ¹ ². Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Edo State, described the allegations as baseless, misleading, and completely devoid of truth.

According to Dr. Onuoha, INEC remains committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and integrity in all electoral processes. The inspection of election materials is a fundamental right of all parties involved in election petitions, and INEC is mandated by law to facilitate this process ¹[3).

To ensure transparency and adherence to the rule of law, INEC scheduled the inspection of election materials, including BVAS devices, for October 9, 2024, at 10:00 AM at the INEC Headquarters in Edo State. All political parties and their representatives were invited to participate in this exercise, provided they follow the proper procedures outlined by the Election Tribunal and relevant legal frameworks.

Dr. Onuoha urged stakeholders and the general public to disregard the misinformation, emphasizing INEC’s loyalty to the Nigerian people, the Constitution, and the rule of law. INEC stands for transparency and is committed to ensuring that the electoral process is free, fair, and accountable.

*Key Points:*

INEC pledges vommitment to transparency and upholds the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and integrity in electoral processes.

Edo said scheduled inspection of Election materials and BVAS devices were made available for inspection on October 9, 2024.

He urged Stakeholders and the public to disregard misinformation and engage with INEC through proper legal channels.