INEC Speaks On Alleged Plot With APC To Rig Governorship Election In Kebbi

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has denied claims of planning with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi state to rig the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

This comes after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the state, Aminu Bande, made the allegation at a news conference in Birnin Kebbi.

Aminu alleged that the INEC, in collaboration with the police, was conniving with APC to conduct the forthcoming elections without using Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

According to him, there are plans to give the ruling party ballot papers on the eve of the election to thumbprint before the election day.

Speaking through the Deputy Director, of Voter Education and Publicity, Kebbi State, Muhammadu Rabi’u, the electoral body insists that BVAS will be used in conducting all elections in Nigeria until a more improved technology is obtained.

Rabi’u noted that staff who fails to use the BVAS or connives with any party to rig the election will 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.

He said: “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.

“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.”