The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday asked the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal to allow it to take the 21 BVAS machines it brought as evidence back for recharging.

An INEC employee, Mr Ocheka, told the court that the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System machines required protection because when their batteries run down codes would have to be sent from China before they could be reactivated.

“Owing to safety reasons, let me go back with the BVAS to INEC office and whenever the court needs them I will bring them back,” Mr Ocheka told the tribunal.

The BVAS machines were used in 21 polling stations in 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs), namely Tudun-Wada, Gaya, Gezawa, Bunkure, Bebeji, Ungogo, Ajingi, Warawa, Karaye and Garko.

The petitioner, the All Progressives Congress (APC), on April 9, filed a petition challenging INEC for declaring Abba Kabir-Yusuf of the NNPP the winner of the March 18, 2023 gubernatorial election.

The respondents are INEC, Governor Kabir-Yusuf and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Recall that the tribunal on June 6 granted leave to the petitioner to access and inspect the BVAS machines used by INEC in the governorship election.

At the resumed sitting, counsel to INEC, E.A. Oshayomi led Mr Ocheka to present the machines to the court.

Counsel to the petitioner, Nureini Jimoh, tendered the 21 BVAS to the tribunal to support their petition and objected to the machines being returned to INEC.

Counsel to Mr Kabir-Yusuf, R A Lawal, and Counsel to NNPP, John Baylesha, did not object to the admissibility of the BVAS machines in evidence.

“Once the petitioner tendered the machines, it is now left for the tribunal to decide where to keep them for safety reasons,” he said.

The petitioner has so far presented 18 witnesses to testify before the court to prove its case.

The three-man panel led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay adjourned the matter until July 12 for the continuation of hearing.

(NAN)