I don't trust in the integrity of INEC - Rufai Oseni says as INEC plans to reconfigure BVAS ahead of guber polls

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A collage of the national collation center in Abuja and Rufai Oseni

Broadcast journalist, Rufai Oseni has questioned the move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) used in the presidential election before deploying them for the March 11 governorship and state houses of assembly polls.

Recall that INEC had approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, for an order varying the permission the court granted two presidential contestants to inspect materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the February 25 presidential election.

The move by INEC has been criticized by tink-tanks, political watchers and Nigerians as the governorship election draw near.

In his reaction, Rufai who has been critical of the electoral body and its conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly election held on Saturday, February 25 said INEC is beginning the look suspicious with its actions.

He stressed while speaking in an editorial on Arise TV that INEC "has turned our democracy into a demonstration of craze."

Below is excerpts of his speech

INEC should please stop the cheap blackmail. If they are trying to blackmail us now with the elections, why is it that when people call their attention to the fact that there are flaws in the process, why did they not stop then to have a re-think?

INEC should stop this cheap blackmail because they are beginning to look suspect. The damage is much already, we don't even know what people are saying about us in the international community. I think it was the 79 elections that made Fela release the song, "baba la nonsense (father is singing nonsense). But the sad reality is that over 40 years after, are still doing as Fela says.

We have turned our democracy into a demonstration of craze. This same BVAS INEC wants to tamper with, there is empirical evidence that says any attempt to reconfigure BVAS will disrupt all the information on it. As we speak, I think materials must be taken from INEC and kept in a safe place. This is because I don't trust in the integrity of INEC to still have those materials in their custody.