Elections: Make usage of BVAS mandatory-Group urges NASS

The Concerned Kogi Citizens Forum, has called on the National Assembly to make the usage of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during elections mandatory.

Mr Isaiah Ijele and Abdullahi Hamza, the conveners of the forum made the call while addressing newsmen after submitting a letter to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Abuja.

According to Ijele, the forum made a demand that Sections 64 {4) and 7 (2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which made BVAS mandatory for accreditation during elections be strictly complied with.

This, he said, would justify taxpayers’ money used to deploy the technology.

“Our protest letter is premised on one issue which is the recent Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the just concluded Kogi Governorship Election on Nov. 11, 2023.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established by the 1999 Constitution to among other things deliver credible elections in Nigeria.

“The Ninth National Assembly wrote its name in gold when it amended the Electoral Law to produce the 2022 Electoral Act with the hope that BVAS technology will be used to curb over voting and other electoral irregularities,” he said.

Ijele said that Kogi indigenes felt betrayed that after all the assurances given by INEC that BVAS machines would be used to curb over voting, some INEC officials allegedly compromised.

“As members of the Concerned Kogi Citizens Forum, we are here to appeal to you to use your good offices to save democracy in Kogi and Nigeria as a whole,” he appealed..

Ijele said the forum called on the National Assembly to as a matter of urgency prevail on INEC to be impartial at all times in the conduct of elections.

He said that the forum further demanded that INEC should declare election results from the result viewing portal (IReV) after confirming the exact number of accredited voters in the BVAS machine.

Ijele said the forum also suggested engaging retired soldiers, religious and traditional leaders as returning officers rather than academicians.

He added that using these alternative institutions would guarantee a more improved electoral process which would be free, fair and credible to the citizens.