INEC PROVIDE BVAs ACCESS TO TINUBU

INEC must provide Tinubu access to BVAS machines, according to an order from the Appeal Court.

Bola Tinubu, the winner of the election, had requested access to the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) devices in an ex parte application that was submitted to the court on Tuesday.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Tinubu, was proclaimed the winner of the poll by INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu on March 1. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), who finished third, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were beaten by Mr. Tinubu, who received 8.8 votes overall.

A three-member Court of Appeal panel headed by Joseph Ikyegh ruled on Wednesday, "after reading the applicants motion exparte, I am satisfied that there is substance in the application. I accordingly grant him leave to inspect, scan and make photocopies of some of the electoral materials.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to permit Bola Tinubu, the newly elected president of Nigeria, to examine electoral materials used in the election.

On February 25, INEC held elections for the National Assembly and the presidency.

On Tuesday, Mr. Tinubu submitted an ex parte application asking the court to provide him access to the voting equipment used by the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System.

In order to prepare for his defense before the Presidential Election Petition Court, should Atiku and Mr. Obi file a formal petition to challenge his victory, Mr. Tinubu intends to examine the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and election results, among other things, according to this newspaper.

Akintola Makinde, the President-attorney, elect's requested leave from the appellate court during the application hearing, "to inspect, scan and make photocopies of some of the electoral materials" to enable him prepare his defence against Atiku and Mr Obi's challenge at the tribunal.

"The materials will be relevant in helping us to prepare our defence and also make comparison with the information contained in INEC's back-end server," Mr. Makinde remarked as he moved the ex parte request.