A non-governmental organisation often called TAP Initiative has petitioned the Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC), in search of investigations and prosecutions of all electoral offenders in final month’s Edo State governorship election.
In a petition despatched to ICPC, signed by the manager director, TAP Initiative, Martin Obono, and despatched to LEADERSHIP, the organisation mentioned, “We write to deliver to your consideration critical allegations of corrupt practices and forgery involving sure employees and members of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) in the course of the Edo governorship elections held from September 21 to 22, 2024.
“This petition is submitted underneath Part 26 of the ICPC Act, 2000, which makes it an offense for any public officer to corruptly confer any benefit upon themselves or some other individual by their place.”
The organisation alleged within the petition famous that “the latest Edo State governorship elections have been marred by vital irregularities, a few of which have been perpetrated by all political events with out exception.
“On election day, we accessed outcomes from the INEC End result Viewer (IReV), which homes election outcomes uploaded instantly from polling models throughout the state. The outcomes obtained from the IReV portal corresponded with these collected by election observers on the polling models, bearing the signatures of polling unit brokers and presiding officers.
“Nonetheless, after voting concluded, INEC introduced outcomes that differed from the unique knowledge obtained from the IReV. A comparability between the consequence sheets from IReV and the Licensed True Copies issued by INEC revealed discrepancies: though the serial numbers, polling models, and wards matched, the outcomes differed. In some circumstances, the variety of registered voters was altered, and the signatures of the presiding officers have been cast, with the signatures of polling unit brokers both absent or additionally cast.
“Moreover, a forensic examination carried out by a South African graphology confirmed that the Licensed True Copies issued by INEC have been predominantly authored by a single particular person. Others to be investigated embrace the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for authorizing the printing of two totally different consequence sheets, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo State for overseeing these fraudulent elections, and the INEC authorized officer in Benin who issued the Licensed True Copies. What transpired in Edo State constitutes a heist orchestrated by an establishment that ought to function a guardian of our democratic course of. If this establishment is compromised, the very basis of our democracy is in danger. We hereby request that the ICPC, according to its mandate underneath Part 6(b) of the ICPC Act, 2000, conduct a radical investigation into these allegations. Our group and its companions are ready to supply additional data and proof to help your investigation. We belief that the ICPC will reply decisively to this essential matter and hetp shield our democracy.”
