The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State has refuted claims that it obstructed the inspection of BVAS and other election materials used for the just concluded governorship election, News About Nigeria reports.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.
He noted that the allegations of obstructing the inspection of materials were baseless, misleading, and devoid of truth.
According to him, the inspection of election materials is the fundamental right of all political parties involved in election petitions and added that it was a process that INEC was mandated by law to facilitate.
He maintained that the commission, in furtherance to its commitment, had fixed Wednesday for the inspection of the materials at its headquarters in Benin.
He stated, “The attention of INEC and my office has been drawn to certain unfounded allegations suggesting that I have refused political parties and their representatives access to inspect the BVAS devices and other election materials used during the recent elections.
“We wish to categorically state that these allegations are baseless, misleading, and completely devoid of truth.
“INEC under my leadership in Edo, remains committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and integrity of all electoral processes.
“INEC is fully aware of the legal implications of such actions, and we are dedicated to supporting the lawful processes that enable parties to seek redress in the courts.
“In furtherance of this commitment, I wish to inform the public that the inspection of the election materials, including the BVAS devices, has been formally scheduled for Wednesday (Today), at the INEC Headquarters in Benin.
“All political parties and their representatives are invited to participate in this exercise, as per the legal procedures, to ensure transparency and adherence to the rule of law.”
