Chinwen filed a 3-page suit before the Federal High Court, Owerri, seeking to stop INEC from using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) in the 2023 general elections.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has been accused of being behind the lawsuit seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) in the 2023 general elections.
Many Nigerians on Twitter alleged that the governor is behind the suit.
SaharaReporters on Wednesday reported that opposition parties under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) said they had uncovered a plot to stop Nigeria's electoral umpire from using the BVAS machine.
CUPP, while also revealing that it uncovered massive voters registration fraud in Imo State, particularly in Omuma, Governor Hope Uzodinma's local government area, said that there was a suit filed against INEC over the use of BVAS.
Though the Coalition did not mention the plaintiff behind the suit, SaharaReporters discovered that the suit was filed by one Nwankwere Morale Chinwen on August 24th this year before the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Chinwen filed a 3-page suit before the Federal High Court, Owerri, seeking to stop INEC from using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) in the 2023 general elections.
For instance, a Twitter user, @mindset_tweet who also shared the three-page suit wrote, "Hope Uzodinma and his cohorts have gone to court for INEC to remove BVAS."
@ilojemie22 wrote, "Hope Uzodimma Is Fraud Personified."
@prince_azie said, "If he is against BVAS n others as stated in his petition he should also be against the new method of voters registration, this is why the youths needs to fight n take back the country. Imagine using pen n paper to register voters in 2022 wen internet n computer make life easier."
@Inspiredson wrote, "Going to court against an action supported by the electoral act. Is this how he wants to deliver Imo votes to APC? I thought the people love him so much that they will give it willing."
@We_The_Nuts2 said, "It follows that a person who became governor without the mandate of the people but a distortion of the law would not support free and credible elections."
In the three-page suit with suit No: FHC/OW/CS/144/2022, where the INEC and its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu are respondents, Chinwen asked the court to "Within thirty-one (31) days after the service of this Summons on them inclusive of the day of such service cause appearance to be entered for them to this Summons which is issued upon the application of the plaintiff whose address within jurisdiction is J. O. Abazie Esq of Dimogbuji Chambers of 134 Wetheral Road, Owerri, Imo State and who has applied for the determination of the following questions:
"Whether upon the construction of the totality of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022, it is not unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful for the Defendants to use use or deploy the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other similar device, equipment, instrument or gadget of such or same nature for the accreditation of registered voters in the 2023 general elections.?
"Whether in view of the combined effect of Sections 50(2), 60 and 62 of the Electoral Act, 2022, it is not illegal and unlawful for the Defendants to electronically transmit, feed or collate the results of elections at the 2023 general elections?
"Whether in view of the unassailable fact of unavailability of telecommunication network coverage across substantial part of Nigeria, it is not untenable, unreasonable and utterly impracticable for the Defendants to use or deploy the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other similar device, equipment, instrument, device or gadget of such or same nature, for the accreditation of registered voters in the 2023 general elections?"
Chinwen therefore urged the court to declare "that it is unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful for the defendants to use or deploy the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other similar device, equipment, instrument or gadget of such or same nature for accreditation of registered voters in the 2023 general elections.
"That it is illegal and unlawful for the defendants to electronically transmit, feed or collate the results of elections at the 2023 general elections.
"That in view of the unassailable fact of unavailability and inaccessibility of telecommunication network coverage across substantial part of Nigeria, it is untenable, unreasonable and utterly impracticable for the defendants to use or deploy the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other similar device, equipment, instrument, device or gadget of such same nature, for the accreditation of registered voters in the 2023 general elections.
"An order of injunction restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, staff, officers, privies or howsoever described from using or deploying the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other similar device, equipment, instrument or gadget of such same nature for the accreditation of registered voters in the 2023 general elections.
"An order of injunction restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, staff, officers privies or howsoever described from electronically transmitting, feeding or collating the results of elections at the 2023 general elections.
"And for such further or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in circumstances."