INEC Confirms Disruption of Inspection of Bayelsa Election Materials

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday confirmed the disruption of a court-ordered inspection of electoral materials used during the November 16 governorship poll in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

However, the electoral umpire said it was left for the aggrieved party to take up the matter with the relevant authorities, stressing that its job was to comply with the order of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, to allow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) examine the documents.

It was gathered that the exercise taking place at the Swali, Yenagoa office of the election body was halted following the chaos occasioned by some loyalists of the opposition party in the state.

INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, though admitted that the process was cut short abruptly, noted that the inspection of the materials was continuing after the initial disturbance.

“INEC’s position is to obey the order of Election Petition Tribunal by making available to the petitioner election materials used during the election for their inspection.

“Whatever claims and counter claims that arose and disrupted the process yesterday should be better given by the parties involved,” he said.

But the PDP accused the All Progressives Congress, (APC) of disrupting the inspection of the governorship election documents as granted by the Election Petition Tribunal currently sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).