The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has informed the National/State Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi that it does not attach names of candidates on election ballot papers, but political party’s logos.

INEC made the clarification when its staff, Mr. Samuel Achigili, testified in court following the subpoena on the Benue State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, at the instance of petitioners, Aida Ogwuche and her party the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

They are challenging the declaration of Philip Agbese of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the February 25 Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency election.

When answering questions from the counsel to Agbese, Mr. Adetunji Oso, the INEC official explained that “the commission deals with candidates through their political parties.”

Still under cross-examination from Oso, Achigili told the tribunal that “it is the logo of the party that appears on the ballot paper and not the name of the candidate.”

He said, “the ballot paper used for the said election had the logo of the PDP, which is the second petitioner in the matter.”

Previously, Achigili tendered in evidence the list of candidates for the election.

However, Justice Amina Aliyu adjourned the matter to Saturday, July 22, 2023 for continuation of hearing.

Miss Ogwuche and the PDP  are challenging the outcome of the election on the ground that the process that produced Agbese as winner was invalid for non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

Also, the petitioners alleged that the PDP candidate was excluded from the February election as INEC did not comply with the judgement of the Supreme Court that confirmed her as the PDP candidate and not Mr. Francis Agbo