Politics

INEC submits BVAS machines to tribunal as Edo election dispute deepens

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1 month ago

February 1, 2025

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has submitted the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election to the election tribunal, following a subpoena obtained by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the election, but the PDP has fiercely contested the outcome, alleging that its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was the rightful winner. The party claims that the election was marred by over-voting, with results exceeding the number of accredited voters in several locations.

During Thursday’s proceedings, a PDP witness from Akoko Edo, who served as the Ward 9 collation agent, testified that while voting was conducted properly in the 13 polling units within the ward, the results recorded at the collation center differed from those uploaded on INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

He further stated that a duplicate set of results, which did not match polling unit records, was presented at the collation center—prompting his refusal to sign the ward collation result sheet.

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Similarly, another PDP collation agent from Oredo Local Government testified that INEC’s final results in Ward 1 did not align with polling unit data or the figures uploaded to IREV.

The tribunal has since admitted certified true copies (CTCs) of exhibits submitted by the PDP, highlighting alleged inconsistencies in the declared results.

With the BVAS machines now in evidence, the tribunal is set to analyze their records, which serve as a verifiable benchmark for voter accreditation figures.

Legal analysts suggest that this development significantly bolsters the PDP’s petition, as the Supreme Court has previously ruled that BVAS data is the primary source for verifying accreditation figures in disputed elections.

As the legal battle unfolds, the APC and Governor Okpebholo’s legal team are expected to scrutinise the evidence closely in preparation for their defense. The tribunal’s findings on the BVAS data could prove decisive in determining the final outcome of the Edo governorship election dispute.

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Politics

World Women’s Day: Nigerian governors vow to sustain gender parity gains

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4 hours ago

March 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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The Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders and women’s organisations to sustain the progress made in gender parity and women’s empowerment.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, stated this in a message to mark International Women’s Day, adding that the forum will allocate more resources to accelerate action in outstanding areas of concern.

“The Nigeria Governors’ Forum stands in firm solidarity with Nigerian women, praising their resilience and struggles for a fair society, as well as their immeasurable contributions to building a more equitable world,” he said.

Governor AbdulRazaq reiterated the forum’s commitment to advancing policies and initiatives that amplify women’s voices and promote the well-being of women and girls.

“My colleagues and I at the NGF congratulate Nigerian women on the occasion of International Women’s Day and reassure them of our sustained commitment to creating a more inclusive and safer environment for them to thrive,” he added.

Politics

Iran rejects Trump’s request for nuclear talks

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4 hours ago

March 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has ruled out any possibility of negotiating with the United States in his first public speech since President Donald Trump claimed to have sent him a letter regarding nuclear talks.

Khamenei also criticised France, Germany, and Britain for condemning Tehran’s non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, branding them shameless.

Speaking during a meeting with Iranian officials in Tehran on Saturday, he insisted that Iran would certainly not accept America’s demands.

“The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not aimed at resolving issues but rather at asserting dominance and imposing their demands,” Khamenei said. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will certainly not accept their demands.”

He added, “Those three European countries—France, Germany, and Britain—are issuing statements, claiming that Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments under the JCPOA! Someone should ask them: Have you fulfilled yours? You never did from the very beginning! Then you made another claim and broke that second promise as well. There should be a limit to shamelessness! How can someone fail to uphold their own commitments and then turn around and accuse the other side of non-compliance?”

Khamenei’s comments followed Trump’s revelation that he had sent a letter offering negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme while warning that military intervention remained an alternative.