BENIN—There was a mild drama at the Edo State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Benin, yesterday, as the electoral body allegedly stalled the inspection of ballot papers by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following protest by the All Progressives Congress, APC, that it had filed a motion at the Election Petition Tribunal, restraining INEC from allowing the PDP from inspecting the materials.
Godwin Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu But the APC insisted that it did not oppose PDP’s inspection of the electoral materials, but its attempt to scan them. According to APC state Chairman, Mr. Anslem Ojezua, “We did not oppose the inspection of the ballot papers by the PDP.
What we are against is the move by them to scan the materials. This is not their prayer in their petition. Their counting should be done in the open court.” Both parties had earlier agreed to jointly inspect ballot papers used in the conduct of the September 28 Edo State governorship election.
It will be recalled that the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal, last month, granted both parties leave to inspect the ballot papers used in the conduct of the election. However, the inspection, which was supposed to be jointly started by both parties at 9:00 a.m. did not start following an alleged objection raised by the APC on the grounds that it had filed a suit challenging the commencement of the process.
VANGUARD
