Osun tribunal decision no go stop use of BIVAS for general election - Inec

Nigeria Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), say di guidelines for di 2023 general elections neva change.

Di election body also say dem go deploy di Biomodal Voters Accreditation System for di election.

Dem say dem no go fit arrive at any conclusion now on Osun tribunal decision as di commission neva see copy of di judgement.

National commissioner for information of Inec, Festus Okoye, tell BBC say wen dem see di judgement dem go fit understand why dem give di judgement.

Di decision of di Tribunal of Osun govnorship election don begin make Nigerians question di accuracy of di Biomodal Voters Accreditation System (BIVAS).

Di tribunal decision remove Ademola Adeleke as govnor of di state on argument of over voting.

Inec bin use di BIVAS, to conduct di Osun election, and dey look forward to use am for di general elections come 25 February.

"We go deploy di BIVAS for di 2023 general elections and di BIVAS na di only gadget wey dey required under section 47(2) of di Electoral Act for di purpose of voters accreditation and authentication," Okoye tok.

'INEC get time to make amendments to BIVAS'

Former govnor Gboyega Oyetola say di ruling of di tribunal make sense.

For im reaction di former govnor say Inec get chance to learn from di judgement.

Di petitioner say, "I dey happy say di judgement don resolve di controversy about di winner of di July 16 election in di state.

"Inec na di greatest beneficiary of di judgement as e go give INEC di opportunity to look all di anomalies and make amendments to avoid repetition for di general elections wey dey come soon."

E thank di pipo of di state and im supporters for dia courage and loyalty.

Gboyega give assurance say im dey ready to serve dem.

'BIVAS dey prevent identity theft'

Di electoral body announce Ademola Adeleke as di winner of di governorship election wit 403, 271 votes and Gboyega wey bin dey contest for second term get 375, 027 votes.

Di former govnor ask di tribunal to nullify di election, ontop accuse say mago-mago, say dem rig votes for some polling units.

Di tribunal agree say overvoting happun for di election for Osun state.

Afta di deduction di tribunal say Oyetola poll 314,931 while Adeleke poll 290,266 votes.

But Inec say di purpose of di BIVAS na to prevent identity theft.

Okoye add say di law and constitution allow Adeleke 21 days to take appeal di decision of di tribunal.

Inside dis 21 days im go remain govnor and enjoy everytin wey govnor suppose enjoy.

Di court of appeal get 60 days to decide im case.

If im no agree wit di decision of di court of appeal e fit carry di case go Supreme Court.

Adeleke don tok say im go appeal to di judgement.

Dis mean say Inec no go fit tok about di BIVAS for dis case.

Wetin go happun next?  

According to di Electoral Act, afta di conduct of election for Nigeria, any pesin or party wey no dey happy wit di process or wey get complain wit di outcome of di election fit petition Election Tribunal to chook eye into di electoral process.

Di Election Tribunal dey provide avenue for aggrieved contestants or political parties to seek redress under di law.

All actions wey arise from di conduct of an election go start by di way of petition. Di aggrieved pesin must file Election Petition within 21 days afta di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) declare di result of di election. If di petitioner fail to file di petition within 21 days, e go lose im right of action.

An Election tribunal must also deliver judgement in writing within 180 days from di date dem file di petition.

Di affected pesin or party must appeal di decision of an Electoral Tribunal within 60 days from di date wen di tribunal deliver di judgement.

Di time frame wey di tribunal or court go deliver di judgement dey strict and dem no dey extend am.

Di Appeal and di Supreme Court get 180 days to hear di petition and deliver on di outcome of di election tribunal ruling.

Following di Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal wey nullify di victory of Ademola Adeleke as Osun state govnor for di election wey hold for July 16, 2022, one lawyer, Jiti Ogunye wey follow BBC Pidgin tok say di tribunal judgement no mean former govnor, Gboyega Oyetola go immediately assume power for Osun state. 

E say di govnor go still remain for office until di time e appeal di case and if e dey dissatisfied wit di judgement of di Appeal court, e still fit carry am go Supreme Court.

"E go still remain for office as di court proceedings dey happun, na afta di Supreme court ruling, if e no favour am, na dat time e go fit comot for office.

"E get 180 days from di day of di election tribunal to seek redress for Appeal and Supreme Court," e tok.

Oga Ogunye say if di govnor no appeal di case within di duration of time wen e get to appeal, e mean say dem go swear in di winner.

But if e appeal within di time frame, e go kontinu to stay in goment as di govnor until di mata dey decided by di appeal tribunal in di first instance and di Supreme Court in di second instance.