The ruling All Progressives Congress APC (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are again locked in a disagreement over the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deploy the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and INEC results viewing portal (IReV) for the 2023 general elections.
The national chairman of APC, Mr. Abdullahi Adamu, expressed his reservation about the use of technology saying Nigeria is not yet ripe for its deployment.
Adamu stated this yesterday when a delegation of the Commonwealth for the 2023 general elections paid a courtesy visit to the party’s secretariat in Abuja.
Addressing the delegation, Adamu noted: “First, I was privileged to serve as a senator. Our concern is how ready are we to deploy some of these technologies as regard transmission because we are taking a major step in transmitting election results in real time.
“To transmit results, every part of the nation Nigeria I’m not sure that the network covers it. I know that even in parts of Abuja there is no network and we have from now till February when in substantial parts of the country there is no electricity.
“INEC must assure us 100 per cent that as at when due in transmitting results they are ready because they spoke about recharging batteries but we had in previous elections when it says it can’t recharge.”
Also speaking, the party’s national organising secretary, Mr. Suleiman Argungu, said some areas in Nigeria are not connected to the available telecommunication networks in the country.
“As a rider to what the national chairman just said about INEC transmitting results directly during the coming election, apart from the issue of electricity that is unstable, a lot of the villages and communities bordering other countries for instance my state, Kebbi, that is bordering two nations. During the previous elections, all the Nigerian networks, Glo, MTN, Airtel you can’t get them. If you want to get them you have to use the number of the other countries to reach them. So, during election I don’t see how transmission of result will work. I see it coming,” he said.
In his remarks, leader of the delegation and political adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Lindiwe Maleleka, said the team was on pre-election meeting to Nigeria.
“We are here on a pre-election assessment mission, a chance to meet with all major stakeholders involved in the election. We have interacted with civil society organisations, political parties, senior government officials and media representatives as well.
It is an opportunity to understand the preparation for the election irrespective of what status. Based on these perspectives, we will submit a report to the commonwealth secretary general who will then decide to deploy observers for the election on behalf of the commonwealth secretariat. This is why we are here to interact with you, tap your perspective and the preparation for the election.
“We note the reforms that have been introduced in the lead up to this election: the Electoral Act, 2022, the new technologies which were introduced and I believe tested in the Osun and Ekiti elections.
“We want to get your views about the new reforms in the build up to the next general elections because we are aware it will be rolled out for the election in February. Number two, what is your own preparation as a party? The primaries have already taken place and specifically in the Commonwealth we talk about political leadership being inclusive of women, youths and people with disabilities in the build up to the election,” he said.
Reacting to the opposition to BVAS and IReV by Adamu, spokesman for the PDP, Mr. Debo Ologunagba condemned the APC for opposing electronic transmission of results from polling units to a central server.
He said the APC was afraid that with the BVAS, its (APC’s) chances of rigging the polls would be limited.
“The APC knows they stand no chance of winning elections in this country if the process is transparent. At a time the whole world is commending INEC, the APC national chairman is expressing doubt. What does that tell you? The ruling party does not want the 2023 polls to be credible, free and fair. The PDP is fully behind INEC in the use of BVAS and planned transmission of results in real time.
“BVAS was used in Ekiti and Osun states and the process was adjudged to be credible. INEC has improved over the years. We enjoin every political party to support the commission in its mandate of delivering credible elections to the country in 2023 and beyond,” he said.
Recall that INCE chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had declared that there was no going back on the use of the technology.
