INEC promises full BVAS deployment in supplementary elections
By Wilson Adekumola
The Independent National Electoral Commission has promised that Bimordal Verification Accreditation System would be fully deployed for the conduct of the Saturday elections in Kebbi, Adamàwa and other states.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, made this promise the while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.
While giving the assurance that INEC is ready to conduct a credible and transparent supplementary elections on Saturday, Mr Okoye noted that the INEC situation room would be activated and the commission chairman would be presiding.
“The commission is ready for the conduct of the supplementary elections. The commission has deployed all sensitive materials to all the constituencies where supplementary elections have been indicated.
“Three National Commissioners are in Kebbi for the governorship supplementary. We also have one senatorial Election, two Federal constituency elections and eight State Assembly elections in Kebbi.
“The commission deployed two national commissioners to Adamawa, one to Sokoto state and one to Rivers.
“We have deployed additional directing staff and other categories of staff from contiguous states to states where we have governorship and senatorial elections,” Mr Okoye said.
He also reassured INEC commitment to deploy most of its staff as supervisory presiding officers and registration area collation officers to make the process seamlessly successful.
“Bimodal Voter AccredBVaINEC promises full BVAS deployment in supplementary electiitation System (BVAS) will be fully deployed for the election. We have reconfigured the BVAS for optimum performance.”
Mr Okoye also explained that INEC resident electoral commissioners had held meeting with political parties and civil society groups.
He stated further that INEC that security agencies giving confidence to carry out adequate cover and protection for voters, election duty staff and other stakeholders during the election.
He then urged the political players in the Saturday supplementary elections to compose themselves in the best way the can to encourage the hitch-free electoral process.
“We must continue to deepen our democracy and continue to provide the electoral ambience conducive for free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections.
“We will conclude pending elections tomorrow and wait for court-ordered rerun elections if any,” Mr Okoye said.
Source: NAN
