Again for the second day the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has refused to allow the Labour Party access to the electoral materials used for the November 11 gubernatorial election in Imo State as ordered by the Elections Petitions Tribunal.
The party officials have been at the INEC office in Owerri since 8am with their legal team and inspectors to inspect the BVAS and other materials used in the governorship election.
However, INEC has refused to grant them access.
According to the LP Chairman, Barr. Callistus Ihejiagwa KSJI. INEC HOD Legal, told them that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, had not given him the order to do so.
Ihejiagwa added: “In other words, he needs the order of the REC to comply with the valid and subsisting Order of the Tribunal.
“We are still here and will remain here till the close of work.
“Let it be known to the entire world that INEC REC Imo State and the HOD Legal are conniving with APC and Hope Uzodinma to frustrate us from inspecting the BVAs and other materials in direct disobedience of Tribunal Order.
“They know that the records in those BVAs will completely expose the unprecedented irregularities that they perpetrated on November 11,” he said.
Both the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had yesterday protested the shoddy arrangements the INEC made towards inspecting the electoral materials.
They accused the INEC of not spelling out the procedures for the inspection as well as failing to list the items to be inspected, including the BVAs.
Moreso, INEC had been accused of barring journalists from participating in the inspection.
However, it now seems that instead of complying with the express order of the Tribunal, INEC is deliberately aiding APC to frustrate Labour Party and our Governorship candidate Sen Athan Achonu from inspecting the BVAS.
If they are not hiding anything, what is preventing them from allowing us access to the BVAS. What actually is in INEC’s cupboard? They know that the records in those BVAS will completely expose the unprecedented irregularities that they perpetrated on November 11th.
“It’s a pity that INEC particularly Imo State REC and HOD Legal can afford to disobey Tribunal Order with impunity.
Our lawyers have been briefed to commence contempt proceedings against their office and persons. We hope the judiciary will rise to the occasion this time.”
Enough is enough with these impunity.
Lets Take Back Imo
ⒸAthan Achonu Media Centre