We are ready for Elections, only Corps members will handle BVAS – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its readiness for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on Saturday 25th February, 2023.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman also insisted that only Corps members will handle THE Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the elections.

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Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed these at the weekend when he inspected the International Conference Centre ICC, the designated National Collation Centre.

The designated National Collation Centre is expected to play host three major activities in the course of the election exercise, these includes; announcement of winners, presentation of the Certificate of Returns to the President-elect and Vice President-elect, and presentation of Certificate of Returns to the Senators-elect and Federal House of Representatives members-elect.

While addressing the possible impact of the Naira scarcity on the elections, Prof. Yakubu assured that it does not pose threats to the conduct of the elections as the commission has gotten firm assurances from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) tat requisite cash would be made available for it.

He said; “As you know, we have our own role clearly cut out and others also have their own roles clearly cut out but the most important thing is that we are working together and the security agencies have assured us that they will secure the environment for elections nationwide. So we have no issues in that respect.

“We will deploy our platforms, we call it citizens contact centre, where citizens can ask questions, respond to issues or challenges in the field, and we will be able to in turn, also respond speedily to give citizens a happy voting experience.

“In essence, the 2023 general election is here. By this time next week, Nigerians will be voting in over 176,000 polling units for the presidential election. The choice made by Nigerians for the next president of the country will also be announced at this venue.

“The bulk of payment for goods and services is made through electronic transfer. But there are certain critical services that will be remunerated by cash, and that is what we went to the CBN for and it is a small percentage of the budget.

“The Central Bank has assured us that we will not suffer any encumbrances in that regard. So there are no issues with respect to that,” Yakubu assured.

Prof. Yakubu also inspected the training of Supervisory Presiding Officers SPOs for the election at the Government Secondary School, Garki in Abuja, accompanied by National Commissioners and other top officials of INEC.

“Nigeria is fortunate to have young citizens like you. There is no way INEC can conduct elections without the NYSC. You are simply indispensable in the conduct of elections in Nigeria. We cannot conduct elections with our workforce alone,” Yakubu said at the training session.

“So, we have to rely on you and other categories of staff, but you are going to operate at the most important level of the electoral system; at the polling unit levels because that is where citizens go and vote. All of you will swear an oath of neutrality.

“Your loyalty is to Nigeria and Nigerians and not to any political party or any candidate. You will be the INEC Chairman at your polling unit. You are the King at the polling units.

“You are the only ones who will handle the BVAS at polling units on election day. Take this job seriously. We are tracking you as well so that we can know who is holding which BVAS. Do not give this BVAS to someone else,” Yakubu cautioned.

The INEC Chairman also disclosed that presidential candidates, Peter Obi of the Labour Party LP, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress APC, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, and others will be signing the last peace accord on Wednesday, February 22.

Nnamdi Maduakor

Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur