Osun: BVAS not compromised, exposed over voting – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Dr Mutiu Agboke has revealed that it was the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine that exposed that there was over voting in the Osun 2022 gubernatorial election.

This is as Agboke also debunked insinuations that the BVAS was used for voting.

This latest reaction is coming on the heels of the judgment of the Osun guber election petition tribunal on Friday which established that there was over voting during the Osun 2022 guber poll.

While noting that the BVAS machine was only used for voter accreditation, the Osun INEC boss noted that the inadequacies identified will make the vote of the people of Osun count during the general elections.

Agboke made this known during a visit to Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo on Tuesday.

According to him, “Some people did deliberately bypass the BVAS verification due to corrupt politicians and the connivance of INEC adhoc staff.

“The Electoral Act, 2020, envisaged that there may be over voting and the BVAS exposed the fraud. We are going to beam our searchlights on our adhoc staff.”

Agboke urged the monarch to prevail on his subjects to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).

He disclosed that there were about 13,000 PVCs that were left uncollected in Iwo Local Government.

“The traditional institution is one of the pillars of success for INEC, so we need to pay homage.

“We have been carrying the message to the traditional rulers to help inform their subjects to collect their PVCs because no PVC, no vote.

“Oluwo should assist INEC to talk to politicians because elections are not all about war. Nobody will be declared winner except candidates who are voted for,” he said.

Agboke, who also warned that INEC adhoc staff who connived with politicians to bypass the BVAS accreditation during the general elections would be dealt with, urged the electorates to be cautious and report any case of infraction.

“People should open their eyes very well on election day and incase of any infraction, INEC should be contacted. Any adhoc staff who sabotages the process will go to jail,” he warned.

In his response, Oba Akanbi counselled the INEC to beam its searchlight on their adhoc staff.

While recommending punishment for any errant adhoc staff, Oba Akanbi urged Agboke to warn his staff against sabotaging the electoral process.

“Let us punish any INEC official found wanting and aiding and abetting rigging. They should be loyal to this country because Nigeria will be better,” he said.