Mike Igini, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Akwa-Ibom State, has stated that the introduction of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) for the 2023 general election has given people power.
According to him, implementing BVAS technology in the 2023 general election would reduce rigging and other forms of electoral manipulation commonly used by politicians.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that the former REC stated at a town hall meeting organized by the Abuja Leadership Centre in Abuja that the new electoral reforms will result in a major paradigm shift in the upcoming election.
Igini stated this at a town hall meeting hosted by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund at the University of Abuja to increase youth participation in politics and empower young Nigerians to lead.
He submitted that;
There will be a major paradigm shift in the 2023 polls as voters now have the ultimate power to determine winners of election.
INEC has designed a system that has brought power to the people, that is why many politicians are now afraid.
The introduction of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in the conduct of elections will curtail rigging and other form of voting manipulations by politicians .
Polling unit, ward and local government collation centres are now mere ceremonial collation centres as results entered into the BVAS are automatically loaded into the cloud system.
The amended Electoral Act proscribes severe punishment- a prison term of not less than one year or N10 million fine for electoral official that attempts to change election results.