Kogi Election: INEC Staff Reconfigured BVAS to Favour APC? Commission Reacts

• The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged Nigerians to ignore what it called fake news by the Social Democratic Party (SDP)
• The opposition party had alleged that some INEC staff reconfigured the BVAS machines meant for the November 11 governorship election in Kogi state
• However, the nation's electoral umpire said the configuration of BVAS is "professionally and strictly handled by teams deployed from the national headquarters, Abuja"

Lokoja, Kogi state - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, October 21, said the allegation that three of its staff are currently “maliciously reconfiguring the BVAS machines in the Government House in Lokoja” is “untrue”.

BVAS is the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, an innovation introduced by INEC to guarantee credible elections in Nigeria – if allowed.

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Kogi election: Prominent prophet speaks on "candidate God chose”

Kogi: Story about favouritism untrue, INEC

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) had alleged plots to manipulate the November 11 governorship election in parts of Kogi state in favour of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Ododo. But INEC has discarded the claim.

INEC’s statement reads in full:

“The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a statement signed by ID Ijele, Director of New Media of the SDP Governorship campaign team in Kogi State.

“The statement alleged that three staff of INEC are right now maliciously reconfiguring the BVAS machines in the Government House, Lokoja, with the intention of manipulating the forthcoming Governorship election in a part of the State in favour of a candidate. The story is untrue.

“The three persons mentioned are not associated with the configuration of the BVAS machines and not even in Kogi State at the moment. Mr. Nicholas Ocholi is on his duty post in our Ondo State office in Akure. Ibrahim Egbunu is attending to a very close family member hospitalised in Abuja. Mohammed Adara retired last year and is no longer a staff of the Commission.

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"The configuration of BVAS is done simultaneously and exclusively in our offices in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States professionally and strictly handled by teams deployed from the national HQ, Abuja.

"The public is advised to disregard the story as fake news. At the same time, the Commission appeals to political parties to desist from engaging in malicious rumour mongering of this nature.”

Kogi: Prophet speaks on "candidate God chose”

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Founder of the Jehovah's Eye Salvation Ministry, Prophet Godwin Ikuru, said Ododo is God’s choice.

Making a prediction ahead of the off-cycle poll, Prophet Ikuru predicted victory for the APC.

Source: Legit.ng