Technology Takeover Of Elections Adjudications In Nigeria As IReV, BVAS With CTCs And Forms EC8A Replace Witnesses
The Oasis Reporters
February 4, 2025
The technology of I-Rev and other electronic gadgets introduced into the Nigerian electoral life by then president Goodluck Jonathan even though he threw in towel and lost, seems to be maturing year after year to sit in it’s proper place as the decider in electoral matters, further diminishing the chances of professional riggers in elections.
Barring any unforeseen twists in the Supreme Court judgement of the Edo State election tribunal matters, the issue seems practically open if precedent is followed in the judgement.
Despite several twists in the case between Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Edo State governor Okpebholo of the All People’s Congress (APC) the Electoral Commission (INEC) finally tendered the remaining IReV and BVAS machines in it’s custody to the Court for inspection.
This comes after the several incidents of intimidating thuggery and violence that forced the court sittings to relocate to Abuja, away from the madding crowd at the tribunal premises in Benin City, capital of Edo State.
An eye witness at the scene of the Tribunal in Abuja told The Oasis Reporters that the INEC tendered an additional five BVAS machines, as addition to the 148 BVAS machines that were tendered last week; “ the tendering of these machines alongside other evidential paraphernalia including IREV, CTCs, are expected to further expose electoral malpractice roping the September 21 Edo gubernatorial election”.
The PDP and it’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo may not need to present any further witnesses as the BVAS, the IReV machines, the CTCs and forms EC8A have been admitted in evidence and the analysis would decipher if there was over-voting or not.
The PDP/Asue Ighodalo-Ogie case and the judgement flowing therefrom stands a ready catalyst to strengthen the public institutions and electoral reforms agitations rapidly roving around the Nigerian political discourse. It may put a stop to rigging in the Nigerian electoral space.
Going by precedence as in the case of former APC governor Oyetola of Osun State and Governor of Osun State, Mr. Adeleke, judgment of the Apex Court through a five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice John Okoro, whose lead verdict was prepared by Justice Emmanuel Agim, held that while Oyetola argued that the presiding officers who conducted the elections in 774 polling units did not use the BVAS machine, they could not substantiate it.
It said since the BVAS was the sole foundation and focal point of the appellant’s case, it was imperative that they produced the content of the BVAS in those affected polling units.
According to the apex court, based on INEC regulations and guidelines, election results can only be collated if the results agree with the figures in the BVAS and the ones transmitted to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV). “It is glaring that the appellants could not prove over-voting,” the court held.
If the Edo State election tribunal follows that precedent and proves that the evidence of voting records recorded electronically is far smaller than the huge amount of votes counted for the APC candidate which propelled him to the Government House might change election dynamics in Nigeria.
