Author: The Nation

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State have expressed satisfaction with use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine.

They spoke with reporters at their respective poling units on Saturday.

The system, they noted, has made the ongoing election easy and fast.

Mustapha, who voted at his Gwadamawa Ward 022 in Jimeta, Yola North LGA, said it took him under two minutes to vote.

“The BVAS technology has made our election a simple and quick procedure,” the SGF said.

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He added that he was done with being checked and then casting his vote within two minutes.

Fintiri voted in his home town in Madagali LGA.

His unit is at Government Day Secondary School, Kirchinga.

He said the BVAS made the process of accreditation and voting easier than it was in past elections.

Fintiri was also impressed by the turnout of voters and the peaceful process so far.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said every Nigerian on queue will vote despite delays.

He said no matter how long it takes, everyone waiting before the close of voting at 2.30 pm will be allowed to vote.

While acknowledging that officials and materials arrived some polling units late, he said information from across the country indicate that the BVAS machines were functioning optimally.

He said an attack by suspected bandits in Alawa area of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State delayed the deployment of men and materials to the area.

On the complaint by some parties that they could not find the tags for their agents, he said the commission allowed the parties to nominate their own agents and upload the names on a dedicated portal which they did.

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“We did not interact with them directly,” he said.

He said the agents’ tags were dispatched to the states and collected by the state chairmen of the parties.

Yakubu added that some of the parties failed to submit names of agents for some polling units.

He warned that the commission will not accept more than two accredited agents for collation of results.

The INEC chairman added that a situation where people quarrel over who is the authentic party agent during collation will not be accepted.

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has finally voted at his Polling Unit 7B, Ward 9 Rumueprikon, Obio-Akpor after initial hitches caused by Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

However, Wike’s wife, Suzzette, could not be accredited for the second time as officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) begged her to come back again.

A crowd of voters was still stranded at the unit where the Governor voted as BVAS failed to work optimally.

The Governor appealed to INEC to extend the voting process in the affected area to 6 pm, insisting that he was disappointed at the Rivers scenario.

Wike said: “The system is not working well. I waited for about two hours yet the BVAS is still not very functional. I don’t want to begin to suspect any foul play.

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“But the reports I have received from other polling units appear to be the same experience. You wonder why it should be happening to Rivers State. I don’t want to make any suspicion yet.

“I don’t think it is encouraging. I believe that they will extend the period till 6 pm. Most places started at 8:30am but we are just starting. I am not happy with the preparation of INEC.

“They are patiently staying in the sun to make sure that they cast their votes. Their patience cannot be taken for granted. Every Nigerian should be able to participate in this particular election.

“INEC should do everything within their power to ensure that people vote. If people don’t vote, people will not be happy”.

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Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Saturday said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has become a target of attack by thugs.

Briefing reporters on complaints received so far from across the country, Yakubu said thugs attacked a polling unit in Safana Local Government Area if Katsina State, taking away six BVAS machines.

He said another polling unit in Oshimili Local Government Area of Delta State was attacked by thugs who carted away two BVAS machines.

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He said the machines have been replaced while the police have recovered three of the six stolen in Katsina.

Yakubu said: “This time around, the BVAS is the target of attack by thugs and not the ballot box as in time past.”

He also said the the commission received an adverse situation in Abia and Imo states, adding that heavily armed solders have been deployed to escort INEC officials to conduct elections in the areas affected.

Kaduna Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has prayed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is declared President-elect in the next couple of days.

He lamented the low turnout of voters across the State and the reported cases of the ballot and BVAS snatching in some parts.

El-Rufai said: “We are grateful to Almighty God for bringing us to this day when all Nigerians will decide who will lead them for the next four years. In Kaduna State so far, as at the time I came here, everything has been going on smoothly, there have only been three incidents, last night a rice mill was attacked by people suspected to be PDP thugs, the police are investigating.

“This morning, we got a report of one incident in Southern Kaduna where BVAS and ballot boxes were snatched and in Soba where two ballot boxes were also snatched. Of course, these are no incidents at all because whether you snatch ballot boxes or BVAS or not, it doesn’t matter, the technology has gone beyond the primitive rigging system that political actors are used to.

“So, I must commend INEC for this improvement, so far everything appears orderly across the state; all the reports we are getting are positive.

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“My only concern is low voter turnout, people are not coming out to vote. And I want to appeal to everyone to please come to our and vote because you have once in four years the opportunity to pick your leaders and you should take them seriously.”

He added: “But, so far, everything has been peaceful, there are reports of only few incidents of electoral malpractice and we are confident that this will be sustained. May Allah choose for this country the best leaders.

“And of course in my view, my prayer is that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is declared the President-elect of Nigeria in the next couple of days.”