The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made what might be described as its final submission concerning the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2023 general elections.
According to a statement shared on Facebook on Wednesday, November 16, the national chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made it known that the electoral commission has resolved to go ahead with the use of BVAS and IReV come 2023.
Speaking on this decision, Yakubu noted in the statement that :
“As I have said repeatedly, the Commission’s allegiance is to Nigeria. Our loyalty is to Nigerians who want free, fair, credible and verifiable elections supported by technology, which guarantees transparent accreditation and upload of polling unit results for citizens to view in real-time on Election Day.
“It is for these reasons that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) were introduced. There is no going back on the deployment of BVAS and IReV for the 2023 General Election.”
Speaking further, the INEC boss promised Nigerians that the commission will maintain engagement with political parties and critical stakeholders ahead of the polls.
Going forward, Yakubu called on citizens to participate in the electoral processes peacefully, especially in the ongoing display of the Register of Voters for claims and objections, as well as collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).
He urged political parties and political leaders to conduct their campaigns peacefully, eschewing divisiveness, rancour and violence.
Earlier, the presidency debunked the rumour that the use of the Bimodal Voter Registration System (BVAS) in the 2023 elections will be halted.
Femi Adesina, a presidential media aide, during a policy dialogue in Abuja on Tuesday, November 1, also refuted speculations that there is a plan to sack the current national chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, The Cable reports.
Adesina urged journalists not to give attention to such reports and those who propagate them with the intention of disrupting the 2023 elections.
The presidential media aide noted that the same people selling lies about the use of BVAS in 2023 are claiming that there is a plot to sack Mahmood.
According to him, such things can never happen under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.