BVAS not compromised, exposed by vote in Osun – INEC

The Independent National Election Commission, INEC, Osun State Resident Election Commissioner Dr. Mutiu Agboke revealed that it was the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine that exposed excessive voting in the gubernatorial election of Osun 2022.

This is how Agboke also debunked the suggestions that the BVAS was used for voting.

This latest reaction comes on the heels of the Osun guber election petitions court ruling on Friday, which established that there was excessive voting during the Osun guber poll 2022.

While noting that the BVAS machine was only used for voter accreditation, the Osun INEC chief noted that the identified inadequacies will make the Osun people’s vote count during the general elections.

Agboke made this known during a visit to Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo on Tuesday.

According to him, “Some people deliberately evaded the BVAS verification due to corrupt politicians and the collusion of ad hoc INEC staff.

“The 2020 Electoral Law provided that there may be overvoting and the BVAS exposed the fraud. We are going to direct our reflectors to our ad hoc staff.”

Agboke urged the monarch to convince his subjects to collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

It revealed that there were around 13,000 PVCs left uncollected at the Iwo local government.

“The traditional institution is one of the pillars of INEC’s success, which is why we must pay tribute to it.

“We have been taking the message to traditional rulers to help inform their subjects to collect their PVCs because without PVCs there is no vote.

“Oluwo should help INEC to talk to politicians because elections are not just about war. No one will be declared the winner, except for the candidates who are voted for,” he said.

Agboke, who also warned that ad hoc INEC staff who colluded with politicians to circumvent BVAS accreditation during the general election will be dealt with, urged voters to be cautious and report any instances of infringement.

“People must open their eyes very well on election day and in case of any violation, the INEC must be contacted. Any ad hoc personnel who sabotage the process will go to jail,” he warned.

In his response, Oba Akanbi advised INEC to turn its spotlight on its ad hoc staff.

While recommending punishing any straying ad hoc member, Oba Akanbi urged Agboke to warn his staff against sabotaging the electoral process.

“Let’s punish any INEC official who is found to be lacking and who helps and incites manipulation. They should be loyal to this country because Nigeria will be better,” he said.