Matthew Ogune
YIAGA Africa has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately undertake an audit of the Bi-Modal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) to ensure that all technological glitches with the device are resolved ahead of the supplementary elections in Anambra to prevent delays and disenfranchisement of voters.
To enhance the transparency of the supplementary election, YIAGA also called on the electoral body to publish the total number of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) collected in Ihiala Local Government Area (LGA) and inform the public of the status of uncollected PVCs.
Yiaga Director of Program, Cynthia Mbamalu who made this call Monday in Abuja while delivering the groups preliminary statement on the election, regretted that the newly introduced technology meant to enhance the integrity of the nation’s electoral process turned out to be a disservice to the electorates.
According to Mbamalu: “By replacing the smart card readers with the BVAS, INEC intended to enhance the integrity of the electoral process by introducing additional checks to ensure only eligible voters could cast ballots on election day.
“However, in practice and as observed by WTV observers, BVAS malfunctioned and slow the process, resulting in long queues and extended waiting time for voters in contravention of INEC guidelines and regulations. Yiaga Africa expresses concern with INEC’s framework for adopting new electoral technologies, as the BVAS, though a valuable tool for electoral integrity, fell short of expectations.”
She called on INEC to sanction all its staff accused of complicity and conspiracy with political actors and security agents to falsify election, especially Mrs. Comfort Omorogie, electoral officer for Orumba north involved in compelling the returning officer for the LGA to declare false results under duress.
Mbamalu further urged the commission to terminate it’s a contractual relationship with road transport unions, especially those notorious for breach of contractual obligations, adding that INEC must seek legal remedies against transporters who are liable for breach of contract.
Against the background of security threats in some communities in Ihiala LGA, She called on security agencies to ensure strategic deployment to flashpoints pooling units in Ihiala to guarantee the safety of voters, polling officials, and materials during the supplementary election.
“It is important to remember that the Anambra gubernatorial election is not yet over and that this report reflects Yiaga Africa’s preliminary findings on the conduct of accreditation and voting, counting, and results announced in the pooling units where the election held.
“Anambra 2021 gubernatorial elections revealed the need to review its internal administrative processes and put in place sufficient safeguards and operational practices that guarantee free, fair, transparent and inclusive election.”
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She called on the people of Anambra to reject any call for violence as INEC prepares for a supplementary election today.
Earlier, YIAGA Executive Director, Samson Itodo, who acknowledged that election day was peaceful, regretted that the pre-election period was characterized by violence, intimidation, and arson resulting to poor voter turnout.
Itodo insisted that the elections were marred by community resistance to the conduct of the election, logistical failures that once again resulted in the late opening of polls in several polling units, and severe challenges with the newly introduced BVAS.
