The Concerned Kogi Citizens Forum has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission on the need to ensure credibility of Edo and Ondo governorship election through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Ipinyomi (rtd) said: “We insist that INEC strictly follows the BVAS provisions in the forthcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections.”
“The Electoral Act 2022 allows for electronic result transmission, a pivotal step in safeguarding the integrity of our elections. It is imperative that this provision is fully enforced to prevent fraud and ensure transparent elections.”
Also, Isaiah Davies Ijele, convener of the Concerned Kogi Citizens Forum said “We urge the National Assembly to intervene and urge INEC to be unbiased, suggesting amendments to Sec. 64 (4), (5), and (6) of the 2022 Electoral Act to mandate BVAS for accreditation during elections, with results aligning with the accreditation on IREV.
“And moreover, INEC must stop spending tax payers money in sending SAN’s to court to defend a broad day light robbery as a result of BVAS Bypass. ”
He also added, “We express deep reservations about the continuous use of professors as returning officers, voicing our lack of confidence in their ability to conduct unbiased elections. We recommend that INEC considers individuals from diverse backgrounds, including retired soldiers, carpenters, religious leaders, and traditionalists, for these roles.”
