The Imo State gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Senator Athan Achonu, has alleged plans by the State government in collusion with a private tech company to manipulate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) for the Saturday’s election.
Spokesperson to Achonu Campaign Organisation, Chibuikem Diala, who issued a statement on behalf of the candidate, claimed they uncovered plans to circumvent the process.
Also, our correspondent reports that already, protests have erupted at Ikenegbu Girls Polling Unit in the Owerri municipal council following the deployment of new personnel.
Diala said, “The Senator Athan Achonu Media Centre wishes to alert security agents and patriotic INEC staff, especially those sent from outside Owerri for this election, about plans already concluded to compromise the BVAs for use for today’s election by the RATECH team.
“Specifically, this devious plan was being discussed at the Owerri Municipal and Owerri North Local Government Areas where the Head of the RATECH team has concluded plans to issue wrong passwords to PO especially those posted to polling units with large voters. According to the source, the instruction is to ensure that some of the BVAS malfunction at the Polling Units.
“The purpose is to either generate a fake result or frustrate the voting process in specific areas where the riggers does not have strong presence. This is shameful and devilish.
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“All party agents in every booth and ward, as well as voters should hold the ‘RATHEC Team responsible, not the POs, wherever BVAs password is wrong because it has been compromised. We also urge all POs to escalate this criminality wherever it is found.
“The agents and indeed all Imo Voters must resist this and insist that the proper thing is done.
“We vehemently condemn this evil plot and call on the INEC Commissioners we have been told were seconded to the state to ensure a free, fair, and smooth exercise to forestall this, as the opposition parties can never accept it.
He called on the INEC team and security operatives not to allow use of the alleged compromised system.
“We request that the head of the RATECH team in Owerri Federal Constituency and indeed all other LGAs should be cautioned before they discredit a process that is meant to yield positive outcomes.
“We also charge security operatives to ensure that compromised INEC staff do not create a crisis during this electoral exercise.”
But, INEC head of Voter Education and Publicity in the State, Mrs Emmanuella Ben-Opara, dismissed the allegation, saying it was false
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