Politics

BVAS Reconfiguration Strictly An Internal Affair – INEC Denies LP Access

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has denied the Labour Party (LP) access to observe the reconfiguration processes of the the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines (BVAS).

Published

4 years ago

March 10, 2023

VerseNews

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and BVAS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has denied the Labour Party (LP) access to observe the reconfiguration processes of the the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines (BVAS).

This Online News Media reports that LP requested to observe the reconfiguration or data back-up processes of the BVAS after the court of Appeal sited in Abuja gave INEC a go ahead order to reconfigure the systems.

The party also suggested that others involved in the Court Election Tribunal should come with their technological experts to witness the reconfiguration processes.

Responding to the request, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, in a statement said the reconfiguration and back-up process is strictly an internal affair of the Commission and no external eyes are allowed to witness.

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Oyekanmi added that the reconfiguration and back-up process will take three days to be completed and that after which everyone will be allowed to witness a test-run of the BVAS

He said, “The reconfiguration or data back-up processes of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines is strictly an internal affair of the Independent National Electoral Commission, that no external eyes are allowed to witness.

“Of course, political parties are free to witness a test-run of the BVAS, and they did during the mock accreditation exercise that we carried out before the general elections.

“However, it is really, really curious that the Labour Party would express any desire to witness such an activity. What exactly do they want to see? Would the party also want to witness when ballot papers and result sheets are designed and printed?

“It is like students demanding to be present when their teachers are determining examination questions. While the commission appreciates and maintains a very cordial relationship with the Inter-Party Advisory Council, the boundaries are well defined and known to both parties”.