No plan to stop INEC from using BVAS during 2023 polls, says presidency

The presidency has dismissed speculations of a plan to stop the use of the bimodal voter registration system (BVAS) in the 2023 elections.

Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, said there is also no plan to remove Mahmood Yakubu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Adesina spoke on Tuesday at a policy dialogue organised to mark the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI).

There have been reports claiming that a lawsuit has been instituted before the federal high court in Owerri, Imo state, seeking to stop INEC from using BVAS for the 2023 elections.

Reacting, Adesina advised journalists not to give attention to people with intentions to disrupt the elections by spreading rumours.

“Recently, there was one group that said the chairman of INEC was going to be removed because maybe they didn’t want BVAS,” he said.

“How many times has the president spoken about the role of technology in getting him into office?

“He has spoken about it locally, internationally that three times he contested, three times he ended at the Supreme Court because the government of the day will just write results.

“Then he said until technology came and there was permanent voter cards and so it was difficult to write results.

“So, how and why can the same person have issues with BVAS? I saw that group on television, alleging that there was a plan to remove the INEC chairman and the media gave them that opportunity.

“Such things should be treated with contradictions because they don’t make sense, at least not under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Adesina said on Monday, Buhari, at a meeting in Imo, gave a marching order to the police to ensure the elections are credible.

“If you are going to rig elections, of course, the police will be critical in rigging it and here you hear the president saying at every opportunity that don’t rig election,” he said.

Adesina said the media, the electoral management body and other stakeholders have critical roles to play to achieve credible elections.