Court Set Fresh Date To Rule On INEC’s Application Challenging Peter Obi’s Suit On BVAS

The Presidential Election Petition Court  has fixed Wednesday to rule on an application by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking to vary an earlier order granting Peter Obi of the Labour Party access to inspect materials used for the 2023 presidential election.

Naija News reports that INEC, in a motion on notice filed on March 4, prayed the court to vary the order which restrained it from tampering with materials used for the election.

The commission said it needed to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System for the next round of elections.

T. Inuwa SAN, counsel for INEC, urged the court  to grant his prayers using their discretion and varying the order that gave Obi the permission to inspect INEC materials.

“We have just been served with the counter affidavit from Peter Obi.

“My lord, as far as we are concerned my lord, the counter affidavit has not done any serious damage to our application.

“Notwithstanding, we have demonstrated that my lords will exercise your discretion in granting our application,” Inuwa said.

Obi’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN opposed the INEC’s motion in open court, urging the court to dismiss the electoral umpire’s application.

But the panel asked the INEC lawyer, which order he wants varied.

Inuwa argued that the Electoral Act 2022 will be affected by all existing orders restraining INEC from making use of all election materials for the upcoming election.

“The one that relate to the issue of forensic examination of BVAS device,” Inuwa said.

“The ruling will be tomorrow, 10 am tomorrow,” the panel Court