eTransmission makes rigging difficult as everyone sees vote tallies and live transmission from polling unit to collation centre
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Police have chipped in to warn politicians of the futility of using stolen public funds to buy Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to rig in 2023 so as to continue treasury looting to keep the vast majority of Nigerians perpetually poor and oppressed.
Election rigging will be difficult if not impossible from next year, the police said, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will deploy Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to accredit voters and electronic transmission (e-transmission) of ballot results from polling units.
Asafa Adekunle, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 8, Lokoja told community policing officers from across 16 councilss in Kwara at a meeting in Ilori that ballot box snatchers, besides risking their lives, will be prosecuted.
He said such an exercise is futile because election technology has improved.
His words: “Tell them aloud that the era of ballot stockpiling is over. Let them also know that anyone snatching ballot boxes will be engaging in a wild goose chase. As you vote with your PVC, the computer has captured it and recorded it.
“Votes will be counted and results announced right there, after voting in the presence of all stakeholders. So, in the year 2023, rigging will be difficult, if not impossible.”
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ICCES moves to ensure campaign without violence
Kano Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) too has promised concerted efforts to guarantee credible and violence-free campaign and electioneering, according reporting by The Guardian.
“Owing to attacks on INEC headquarters, offices and facilities in the Southern part of the country, we have resolved to take proactive measures,” said Kano Police Commissioner Mamman Dauda, who is also chairs ICCES.
“At the state INEC headquarters, we will block the two major roads. Though we are not praying for any attack by miscreants, we are doing everything possible to see that we provide adequate security for INEC.”
He announced police in the state recently had cases of PVC snatching and the culprit was arrested and prosecuted.
“Issues discussed at the meeting consisted of the review of democratic process and electioneering campaigns that started a few weeks ago.
“We also discussed a few cases of violence recorded during electioneering campaigns, which included destruction of billboards, posters and inflicting of injuries.
“We mapped out strategies on how to forestall them, as the political parties carry on with their campaigns.
“We also looked at the readiness of the police and other security agencies to ensure credible and violence free elections. And we called for all security agencies to synergise.
“ICCES also mapped out strategies to provide adequate security for INEC offices across the 44 council areas in the state.”