Saraki added that there would be credible elections in Nigeria if electoral laws are strictly adhered to.
By Dele Moses, Ilorin
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure irregularities in the uploading of the electoral results to INEC servers and the use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) device in the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections are not repeated in this governorship and house of assembly elections
He stated this on Saturday as he expressed concern over the low turn out of voters in the governorship election and house of assembly elections
Saraki, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin, commended the people of Kwara for conducting themselves peacefully for the elections.
He, however, tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on credibility in order to have the confidence of Nigerians.
“The process is going on peacefully, but clearly we can all see that the turn out is low, people are still a little bit disappointed at the last elections as INEC has disenfranchised a lot of people.
“We make an appeal to people to come out and vote, it is still early in the day to make an assessment of the whole process.
“We hope this time around INEC would have learnt from what happened the last time and what it has done to the image of our country.
“We hope when the results are out, they will uploaded as promised and transmitted,” he said.
Speaking on the BVAS technology, the former Senate President said, “I do not think there is anything wrong with the technology, we cannot rule out that it was made intentionally not to work out the last election.
“If it works today, we have to ask questions on why it worked and it did not work on the Feb. 25 elections and you can see it has done to the confidence of Nigerians.”
Saraki added that there would be credible elections in Nigeria if electoral laws are strictly adhered to.
“We tried passing the law in 2019, which unfortunately did not pass, because people felt the law will not allow the kind of rigging that we have now.
“If the law is strictly adhered to, elections will be very credible except the system ensures the law does not work like it happened in the last presidential elections.
“The law has given sanctions, nobody has been sanctioned for contradicting the law as long as officials think they can get away with it, it will continue.
“I think what we should do is to obey and follow the law. We have gone a long way from where we were before but as country, we believe we can do better.
“We look back and see how peacefully we are having elections now, it never used to be like this; we are progressing but we should progress more than this,” Saraki said.
Also speaking, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, described the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections as one of the most transparent and credible elections Nigeria has ever had.
He said that the introduction of BVAS has been a changer in the electoral process in the country.
Mohammed said this in Oro, Irepodun Local Government Area of the state shortly after casting his vote at Oro Ward 2 polling unit 006 in the ongoing governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The elections, it was observed, was characterised by low turnout in the community.
But, the minister, attributed the seeming low turnout to the change polling unit venue.
Said he: “It is too early to judge the turnout now at 9:45am. I think the change of venue perhaps, has contributed for the seeming low turnout. I hope that the party agents will continue to mobilise the electorates and enlighten them of the new change of venue of the polling units.
“What I have observed from February 25 till date is that there has been marked improvement in the performance of INEC.”
On BVAS, Mohammed said that “without any doubt the introduction of BVAS has been a game-changer. In the sense that with BVAS we are able to get the exact number of people who are accredited and with BVAS it is not possible for you to vote twice. Because your biometrics and facial appearance are captured.
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“That explains why even though, INEC says that about 84 million registered voters are in Nigeria, but the last election showed that only about 24 million voters actually cast their votes. That is largely because of the effectiveness of BVAS.
“This to me is probably one of the most transparent and credible elections in Nigeria. That is why I get worried about the red-erring by some people I can call sad losers in the aftermath of the presidential and National Assembly elections.
“I am glad to say that some of the aggrieved parties have gone to court. That is the best thing in any election in the world. Let the court interpret what the law says.”
Expressing his own view, deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state, Gbenga Makanjuola, expressed worry that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not yet checked hitches with the BVAS.
He expressed worry as he said there were complaint in some polling units in his country home of Omu-Aran that malfunctioning of the BVAS has not made it possible for voters to vote.
Makanjuola, who spoke with reporters after casting his vote at Oke-Aja polling unit in Omu-Aran in the governorship and house of assembly election, said it was regrettable that the INEC allowed hitches with the BVAS during the presidential and national assembly election to persist.
He urged the electoral commission to be more alive to its responsibilities and let people of the country be sure that the nation’s democracy has come to stay.
The PDP governorship running mate noted that the turnout for the election in his area was low and not as high as that of the Presidential and National Assembly election.
He said this might not be unconnected with alleged irregularities with the last election which he said might have discouraged many voters from voting.
Also speaking with reporters at the same polling unit, former military governor of Bauchi and Osun states, Col. Theophilus Bamigboye said he observed that the turnout of voters was lower in comparison with that of the February 25 election.
He, however, said the voting process was smooth, orderly and peaceful.
The turnout of voters in many other towns in Kwara South such as Ajase-Ipo, Oke-Onigbin, Omu-Ipo, and Idofian was also low while voting was, however, orderly and peaceful.