INEC reacts to alleged move to rig governorship election in Kebbi

The Independent National Electoral Commission and the Police in Kebbi State have dismissed alleged plans to connive with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to rig the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

NAN recalls that the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Gen. Aminu Bande, made the allegation at a news conference in Birnin Kebbi.

NAN reports that the candidate had alleged that the INEC, in collaboration with the police, was conniving with the ruling party to conduct the forthcoming elections without using Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He also insinuated that ballot papers would be given to the ruling party on the eve of the election to be thumb printed for onward use on election day.

The INEC in Kebbi State on Tuesday described all the allegations as mere fiction and figments of imagination by the opposition party.

Speaking through the Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Kebbi State, Muhammadu Rabi’u, INEC said the allegations were false, insisting that the use of BVAS had been captured as part of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“BVAS must be used in all elections in Nigeria henceforth and it will continue to be used until a more improved technology is obtained. I am assuring you that there is no such thing and there will be no single polling unit across the state that will conduct elections without BVAS.

“Any attempt from any quarters or from any of our ad hoc staff to conduct an election without BVAS, definitely, we shall prosecute him/her.

“Anybody from outside who feels he can connive with any of our staff to do so, I am very sorry, we will not let that person go free; he/she must be prosecuted.”

On allegations of issuing ballot papers to the ruling party on the eve of elections, Rabi’u said ballot papers were part of sensitive materials in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), assuring that agents of all political parties and security agencies must be present before the distribution of such materials.

“All sensitive materials are in CBN for safe keeping, before we go for it, we have to call the police and the political parties to go there together on the same day at the same time. INEC will not do anything without the security agencies and political party agents.

“Autimatically as an agent of a political party, you are an ambassador of that party, therefore, it’s your responsibility to oversee and ensure that the right thing is done. So, such a thing is not possible and we are not conniving with anybody to do any evil,” he assured.