INEC, IPAC Disagree Over BVAS Inspection in Cross River

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Cross River State on Tuesday disagreed with the Inter Party Advisory Council, comprising various political parties, over the inspection of BVAS allocated to the state.

The IPAC insisted on the inspection following allegations that some BVAS had found their way into the Governor’s Lodge.

However, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gabriel Yomere, at a meeting with security chiefs and representatives of political parties in Calabar on Tuesday, insisted that the 3,281 BVAS allocated to the state were intact.

This made IPAC members led by its state Chairman, Anthony Bisong, led other members to walk out because they were not allowed to inspect the machines.

The REC said, “No BVAS left INEC office to any other place. INEC is fully in control. Preparation for the 2023 general elections is going on smoothly.”

He said BVAS allocated to each state were distinct and would be configured at polling units, adding that no one was allowed to know where they are kept for security reasons following attacks on INEC offices.

He said only the police and DSS are allowed access to the location, adding, “There is nothing INEC is hiding.

“We know our BVAS. If Agba Jalingo (who made the allegation) can bring BVAS that belong to this office, I will resign my position. I did physical counting of the BVAS which have not been configured. So it will be useless for anyone to steal them.

“They are empty. They will be configured according to.polling units. What has been done is to test them for functionality.”

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Frank Inaku, confirmed that the BVAS were intact after the police and DSS inspected the machines.