Edo PDP Alleges APC Plot to Tamper with BVAS Using Fake INEC Staff

 

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to manipulate the upcoming September 21 governorship election by recruiting youths as fake staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The allegations were made by the state chairman of the PDP, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, during a press briefing in Benin City on Friday.

According to Aziegbemi, the PDP’s intelligence unit uncovered plans by the APC to use these fake INEC staff, posing as technical support, to tamper with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) on election day to inflate the number of accredited voters in favor of the APC. “APC has perfected a plan to use fake INEC staff posing as technical staff to tamper with the BVAS Machine on the day of election,” Aziegbemi stated, emphasizing that the APC is resorting to rigging because it cannot win the election legitimately.

Aziegbemi also claimed that APC, instead of uploading actual individuals as polling agents, uploaded "emojis" on the INEC portal and failed to upload agents for 3,037 polling units across 17 local government areas. In contrast, the PDP successfully uploaded agents for 4,378 polling units. He urged INEC not to allow any political party that failed to meet the requirements for uploading polling unit agents to make any changes and called for the commission to publish the details of its technical support staff before the election to prevent any tampering with the BVAS.

Reacting to the allegations, Prince Kassim Afegbua, the media director of the APC campaign council, dismissed the PDP’s claims, suggesting that the PDP was projecting its own plans. He alleged that the PDP had brought in hackers to tamper with BVAS and accused them of staging protests to avoid accountability for their actions.

Meanwhile, Timi Wariowei, INEC’s spokesperson in Edo State, confirmed that the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, would preside over an enlarged stakeholders' meeting in Benin City on September 11, 2024, where the PDP could raise its concerns.