Youth group backs INEC over use of BVAS for 2023 elections

The Unified Nigerian Youth Forum (UNYF) has said it is in full support of the the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the forthcoming elections in 2023.

Speaking in a news conference in Kaduna on Friday, the President of the forum, Abdulsalam Moh’d Kazeem noted that despite the giant strides recorded by INEC, especially in the introduction of Bvas for fair credible and transparent polls, some unpatriotic elements in the country were bent in thwarting the efforts of the electoral body.

He asserted instead of supporting the electoral body they are promoting the primordial interests of a few Nigerians who do not wish Nigerians well.

According to him, “Those behind this charade are nothing but paid agents and goons of selfish and unpatriotic politicians seeking to manipulate next year’s general elections at all cost.

He also said, “we dispel in strong terms the rumours making rounds that the INEC Boss and his management team have morally compromised because of pressure from political parties to deactivate BVAS.

“For the record, please note that; BVAS and all the electoral reforms currently in place have been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC majority National Assembly.

“INEC is established by law and has a law guiding its activities. No individual can wake up and decide to deactivate the use of BVAS when the law says it should be deployed.

“It is inconceivable to say that the APC or any political party is pressuring INEC. It is again not true that INEC and indeed Prof. Yakubu Mahmood have been pressured by anybody to deactivate or stop the use of the BVAS they introduced in fulfilment of the president’s promise of delivering a transparent election.

“INEC is established by law and has a law guiding its activities. No individual can wake up and decide to deactivate the use of BVAS when the law says it should be deployed.

“Thus, the Forum insist that we are fully in support of its usage as well as support the INEC boss and his team in ensuring credible polls, saying, to the end we the Nigerian youths pass a vote of confidence on the INEC boss and his team.”

The Forum also expressed worry over the alleged registering of over 15,000 foreigners by the electoral body.

“We are equally worried and concerned with the barefaced lie in some quarters that 15,000 foreigners were registered in September alone in the Ward of the current Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma.

“Nothing can be more misleading and dishonest than this claim especially now that INEC has recently sanitized the voter register with more than 2 million double registrants expunged.

“Thus, the allegations of ghost voters, registration of foreigners and preloaded fake accreditation as insinuated by mischief makers are unintelligent, shallow and unfounded.

“How did the foreigners gain entry into the country without detection by the Nigerian Immigration Services/ state security services? Does Imo State share a border with any foreign country?

“How will those fake preloaded accredited electorates cast their votes or will they be giving ballots in polling stations without on-site accreditation? This is laughable and should be disregarded.

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