Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disassociated itself from the allegations by Social Democratic Party (SDP) that its staff were maliciously reconfiguring Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines in Kogi state Government House in Lokoja to manipulate the forthcoming governorship election.
Describing the report as untrue, the commission expressed shock over the statement signed by ID Ijele, Director of New Media of the SDP governorship campaign team in Kogi State.
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Reacting formally in a statement signed by Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, the commission stressed that the three persons mentioned to be involved are not associated with the configuration of the BVAS machines and not even anywhere near the state at the moment.
“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 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.
“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 headquarters, 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,” the statement read.