The development comes after 48 consecutive hours that the party and its governorship candidate in the last election, Asue Ighodalo had tried to access the materials.
Despite a subsisting court order asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to grant the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) access to election materials used for the just concluded governorship election in Edo State, the electoral umpire has failed to adhere.
The development comes after 48 consecutive hours that the party and its governorship candidate in the last election, Asue Ighodalo had tried to access the materials.
It would be recalled that the court granted permission to access to the Bimodal Voter Authentication System, BVAS, machines and other materials used for the September 21, governorship election.
The permission was granted on September 29, by the Chairman of the Election Tribunal, Justice W. Kpoc.
Earlier on Monday, the legal team for the PDP governorship candidate led by Olusegun Jolaawo, SAN, had visited the INEC Headquarters in Benin City, the Edo State capital, to access the BIVAS machine, voters register, ballot papers and other election materials used by the electoral body for the September 21 poll.
The move was in a bid to flesh up its petition against the alleged rigging of the poll.
However, it was refused access to the materials despite presenting the court order to INEC officials.
They were not granted audience but were instead directed to return on Tuesday by the INEC officials who attended to them.
The team was said to have returned yesterday, for the second time running and were unfortunately denied access to the materials.
Reacting to the situation, yesterday, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said it was a delay tactic by INEC, who was working in connivance with the APC to obstruct justice and frustrate the efforts of the PDP to regain its mandate stolen during the September 21, governorship election.
He said the party was aware of plans to frustrate it, “We are aware that the clandestine and surreptitious game plan is to frustrate the PDP appeal and ensure the petition is not filed before the Saturday deadline.”
There have been several controversies surrounding the conduct of the Edo State governorship election, with suspicions of vote fraud all around the space.