2023: INEC, Opposition Parties, CSOs Differ On Alleged Plan To Deactivate BVAS

Opposition political parties in Nigeria, civil society organisations (CSOs) and ethnic youth leaders have raised the alarm over a plot to force the Independent Nigeria Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop the electronic transmission of results and deactivate the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the 2023 general election.

The allegation was made at a joint press conference held in Abuja yesterday. It was attended by the Labour Party, PDP, AA, ADC, APP and other registered and deregistered political parties.

The coalition of political parties (CUPP) spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who read the address, alleged that there was immense pressure on the leadership of the INEC to deactivate the BIVAS from the server.

According to him, the pressure has been resisted by INEC hence the plot by some governors to commence the plot to cause a leadership change in the electoral management body which will consume top officials including the chairman and the few national commissioners who are still insisting on the use of the BIVAS.

The opposition coalition also resolved that they would petition the United Kingdom High Commission and the United States Embassy and alert them of the alleged new conspiracy which threatens the Nigerian electoral process and regional stability.

He said, “We will urge them to keep vigilant eyes on the process as development partners and ensure there is adequate vigilance and support plus pressure to ensure the right things are done in compliance with extant laws.”

They also resolved to immediately approach the court to seek judicial redress to ensure the electoral process is not derailed.

The suit, when filed, will restrain the Federal Government, DSS, Nigeria Police, National Assembly, ICPC, CCB, EFCC, CCT, and attorney general of the Federation, from stopping the use of BIVAS, deactivating BIVAS from the INEC server, removing of the INEC chairman, arresting or using an ex parte injunction to suspend him, suspending him from office under any guise or any form of detention to remove him from acting as INEC chairman.

The BIVAS is an electronic machine that will be used to electronically accredit all voters for the 2023 general election and also be used to transmit election results from the Polling Units direct to the INEC central server.

The BVAS had been deployed in the last three cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun states and has been observed to have generally improved the credibility of the elections as the perennial problems associated with snatching of result sheets and changing of results at collation centers has been solved.