TMG warns against vote buying, selling in Gombe gubernatorial poll
……decries capacity of BVAS handlers
By Chima Azubuike
The Transition Monitoring Group has blamed the lapses witnessed in the presidential election to incapabilities of ad hoc staff of Independent National Electoral Commission, towards the handling of Bimodal Voters Accreditation System machines.
TMG made this disclosure on Tuesday during a one-day sensitisation and awareness rally with the theme; stop violence and promote peaceful elections.
Disclosing the findings of the coalition of Civil Society Organisations operating in Gombe, Bachama Yusuf, disclosed that across polling units visited there were issues of functionality of BVAS, adding that more units monitored showed that handlers battled with the usage.
According to the group, the challenges caused low voter turnout, stressing that it should be improved ahead of gubernatorial election to encourage more participation.
He said, “We have some key concerns that we want to draw the attention of all stakeholders; We observed there was low turnout of voters in some polling unit there was less than 25 per cent turnout. Recorded nothing less than 40 voters for us it is a concern. It means that they didn’t come out to vote, it means that they didn’t come out to exercise their franchise for us it’s an issue in most of the polling unit it’s either the BVAS was not working at some point or Electoral officers couldn’t operate the BVAS.
“We have report from various quarters that suggests that in some polling unit it took more than three to two hours before the election started and in some polling units it took four to five hours before results were uploaded an that was largely caused by the inability or the failure of officials to operate the BVAS.”
Decrying the increasing rate of vote buying in the last election, TMG warned politicians and voters involved to desist from such, “We are concerned about the massive vote buying and selling in the state. We have seen that politicians put together materials in form of food items, cash and other items for us it is condemnable, it’s not allowed. We urge those involved to shun vote buying as it will affect the integrity of results,” TMG added.
On security, TMG urged Governor Muhammadu to ensure the reintroduction of checkpoints, saying that it would give voters confidence to come out to exercise their franchise.
He added, “We are aware about security threat going on here and there ranging from audios, suggesting that citizens should not come out to vote. We call the attention of security agencies particularly Police, DSS, Army to ensure they beef up security for all of us to come out to vote on Saturday.
“The checkpoints have been dismantled as they are no longer there it’s a concern for citizens, what it means is that our security is porous and the people have become vulnerable and no one is safe again.”
On his part, the Gombe chairman of TMG Lawanti Idris, urged the electorate to exercise their franchise without fear and favour, stressing that “it’s your right to do, so do that without violence, intimidation or inducements.”
