INEC presented 21 BVAS machines to the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal. The machines were utilised in 21 polling stations across 10 LGAs.
APC filed a petition on April 9 challenging INEC’s declaration of Abba Kabir-Yusuf as the winner of the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial election. Respondents include INEC, Abba Kabir-Yusuf, and the NNPP. NAN recalls that on June 6, the tribunal granted the petitioner permission to access and inspect the BVAS machines used by INEC in the governorship election. At the latest hearing, INEC’s counsel, E. A. Oshayomi, accompanied Mr. Ocheka, an INEC employee, to present the machines in court.
Ocheka told the court that BVAS machines need protection. If their batteries run down, codes from China are required for reactivation. “For safety, let me take the BVAS back to the INEC office. I will bring them back whenever the court needs them,” Ocheka said. Petitioner’s counsel, Nureini Jimoh (SAN), presented 21 BVAS to the tribunal as evidence for their petition and opposed the return of the machines to INEC. Counsel for Kabir-Yusuf, Mr. R. A. Lawal, and counsel for NNPP, Mr. John Baylesha, had no objections to the admissibility of the BVAS machines. “The petitioner has submitted the machines for safekeeping, and it is now up to the tribunal to decide their storage location,” he said. 18 witnesses have testified to support the petitioner’s case. The panel led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay adjourned the matter until July 12 for further hearing.
