The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has thrown its weight behind the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portals (IReV) ahead of next month’s general election.
This is just as IPAC condemned moves from some persons to remove the National Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu from office.
IPAC National Chairman, Engr Yabagi Sani while addressing journalists on Monday, called on those behind moves to remove the INEC Chairman from office to desist from such act as it may truncate the democratic process.
Engr Sani who was represented by the National Secretary of IPAC, Alhaji Yusuf Mamman Dantalle said several attempts have been made to remove the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu from office following his determination to conduct credible elections.
“Accordingly, the entire political Chairmen under the umbrella of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) reaffirms its confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission led by Professor Mahmood Yakubu to conduct the 2023 general election.
“IPAC is satisfied with the preparations, arrangements and measures taken so far by the commission to conduct free, fair, credible and transparent, inclusive, peaceful and generally acceptable elections, particularly its decision to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), an electronic device designed to read permanent voter cards and authenticate voters using the voters’ fingerprints.
“BVAS is intended to achieve two objectives. First, is the verification of the authenticity of the PVCs, the fingerprints and faces of voters during accreditation.
“Secondly, it replaced the Z-pad for uploading the polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portals (IReV) in real-time on election day. BVAS also acts as the INEC Voter Enrollment Device (IVE) during voter registration.
“Its usage has also eliminated the use of incident forms during accreditation on election day. It is an effective system that prevents electoral malpractices,” Sani said.
He said it is the improved technology in the conduct of elections that triggered attacks on INEC facilities and grand plots to remove its chairman few weeks to the Presidential and National Assembly elections slated for 25th February 2023, by those who benefited from grossly flawed elections and want to maintain the status quo that impeded the nation’s democracy and impoverished the populace.
IPAC expressed concern over campaign violence, the attacks and destruction of sensitive, and non-sensitive electoral materials at INEC offices and other property including Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), ballot boxes, voting cubicles, megaphones, electric power generators, election bags, water storage tanks, office furniture and fixtures in Zamfara, Imo, Ebonyi, Ogun, Osun, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, FCT, Ondo, Abia States among others.
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He said despite these attacks on its facilities and the huge costs of replacing them immediately as time is of the essence, INEC has remained resolute, undaunted and courageous in deploying technology in the conduct of free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive general election leading to a peaceful transfer of power.
IPAC however, commended the Judiciary for upholding the rule of law as the temple of justice and beacon of hope for all aggrieved people.
“Council applauds this landmark judgment that quashed frivolous, spurious, unsubstantiated, wide and baseless allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu by political hirelings and their sponsors who are afraid of free and fair elections and want the status quo to remain.
”The Judiciary should remain steadfast, decisive, firm and unwavering in the discharge of its constitutional duties as the last hope of the common man.”
”IPAC warns these reactionary forces to desist from their plots to truncate the nation’s emerging democracy. National interest supersedes primordial interests.
“Council will resist any attempt to jeopardize the ongoing electoral process that will deepen and strengthen our civil rule. All patriotic Nigerians are in support of INEC’s efforts to sanitize the nation’s electoral process and conduct credible elections that will reflect the will and mandate of the people.
”The era of election rigging, vote buying, ballot snatching and stuffing and falsification of results is over as we collectively take steps to protect and defend our hard-earned democracy since May 29, 1999.
“This time, every vote must be counted and count in the overall result. We must get it right and move the nation forward in the quest for sustainable democracy in Nigeria”, Sani stated.
The Council, therefore, urged security agents to be proactive and ensure adequate protection of lives and property before, during and after the elections.
