Thousands of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters protested on Monday at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Benin City, Edo State.
The demonstration, led by Deputy Governor-elect Dennis Idahosa, raised concerns over alleged attempts by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Asue Ighodalo to tamper with election materials ahead of the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting.
The protest was fueled by claims that Ighodalo, who contested the governorship election on September 21, 2024, had obtained a court order permitting his legal team to inspect election materials in INEC’s possession.
Protesters blocked the entrance to INEC’s office, creating gridlock and demanding that election documents remain untampered.
The court-enrolled order, issued on September 29, 2024, and signed by Tribunal Chairman Justice W.I. Kpochi, directed INEC to grant Ighodalo and his team access to the election materials, including voter registers, BVAS machines, and several forms related to the election. The court also mandated that all election materials be kept secure and tamper-proof until the tribunal’s resolution.
Olusegun Jolaowo (SAN), representing Ighodalo’s legal team, confirmed that while they submitted the court order to INEC on Monday, they had not yet been granted access to the materials. INEC assured them that preparations were underway and promised to contact the legal team once the inspection schedule was ready.
The protesters expressed concerns that Ighodalo’s team might manipulate the materials, urging INEC to preserve their integrity. Meanwhile, all petitioners have until Saturday to submit their election petitions to the tribunal.
