INEC admits errors, overvoting in Osun election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has admitted errors in the computation of votes for the governorship election in Osun State.

In INEC’s response to the petition submitted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Election Petition Tribunal, INEC admitted overvoting in over 1000 polling units in the state.

Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola is challenging the results of the July 17, 2022 governorship election, where INEC declared candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Ademola Adeleke winner.

INEC said: “There were lots of errors on the unsynchronized BVAS Report dated 29th July, 2022, as a result of non-synchronization of data information with the primary BVAS Machine as at the date of application and issuance which resulted in false over voting in the 750 polling units challenged in the petition.

“The non-synchronization of the said BVAS Report dated 29th July, 2022 with data information on Primary BVAS machine resulted into some erroneous entries which resulted to false over voting, and which affected both the petitioners, the 2nd and 3rd respondents and all contestants in their respective polling units. The 1st respondent avers that the errors on the face of the BVAS report dated 29th July, 2022 due to the non-syncronisation with the data of BVAS machine also resulted to false over-voting in 1001 polling units where the petitioners won in the election.

“The 1st Respondent states that the election in the said 749 Polling Units were conducted substantially in accordance with the principles of the Electoral Act, 2022 and if there is any non-compliance (which is not conceded), such non-compliance did not substantially affect the result of the election.

“The BVAS Report dated 29th July, 2022 that the Petitioners relied upon in bringing the instant Petition was not synchronized with data Information on the primary BVAS machine had errors which resulted on false over voting in the 750 polling units challenged by the Petitioner.

“The unsynchronized BVAS Report dated 29th July, 2022 was superseded by the BVAS Report dated 22nd August, 2022 and which was a duly synchronized BVAS Report with primary BVAS Machine used in the 16th July, 2022 Osun State Governorship Election.”