The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, failed to present some of the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) used for Owoh and Ugbawka areas in Nkanu East Local Government Area to the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal contrary to what was contained in the subpoena issued by the Tribunal on Saturday.
The commission, however, asked the Tribunal to rely on the certified true copies of documents downloaded from its INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) and tendered by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) to decide on the issue of alleged over-voting said to have taken place in Nkanu East Local Government Area during the March 18 governorship elections in the state.
Edeoga, who closed his case at the tribunal yesterday, had petitioned the chairman of INEC, accusing the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, of refusing to heed entreaties to allow a forensic examination of the BVAS machines, in disregard to a lawfully issued subpoena.
Following series of attempts to circumvent the subpoena issued on June 26, 2023, the tribunal issued an oral subpoena on Saturday, forcing INEC to appear on Sunday with the BVAS machines.
No reason was given by the official that represented INEC who gave his name as Mr. Eze Okafor, for failing to tender the 10 BVAS machines as demanded by the tribunal, leaving the tribunal to rely on evidence supplied by the LP and its candidate, Chijioke Edeoga to decide whether there was over-voting in the affected areas.
