Election Results: INEC Request To Reconfigure BVAS Granted By Appeal Court

The request of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from reconfiguring the BVAS equipment used in the 2023 election has been denied by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

In its ruling on Wednesday, the court held that the request would hinder the commission's efforts in the conduct of the March 11 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

The court also agreed with the electoral body that the information in the BVAS devices had been uploaded into its backup server and could be accessed at any time.

Peter Obi in court

The agreement was predicated on the ground that all averments in the counter affidavit of the commission were not challenged.

According to the court, granting Obi and the Labour Party's request would stop INEC from being effective in its election duties on Saturday.

While dismissing objections by Obi and his party, Justice Joseph Ikyegh scolded the applicants for repeating their request to be allowed to scan and make copies of the electoral materials in INEC’s possession.

Ikyegh stated that it amounted to an abuse of court process.

Furthermore, it held that INEC's claim that information on the BVAS devices could not be tampered with while uploading data is authentic.

The court disclosed that neither Obi nor his party filed a countersuit to challenge the argument in INEC’s affidavit.

However, it instructed the electoral body to allow the applicants to inspect and carry out a digital forensic examination of all the electoral materials used in the conduct of the elections.

INEC is to also avail them the Certified True Copy of the result of the physical inspection of the BVAS.