Kogi Guber: Youths Group calls on President Tinubu to Intervene on BVAS Controversy to Safeguard Nigeria’s Democracy
In a press conference held in Lokoja on Friday, 27th July, 2024, Comrade Ibrahim Danjuma, the President of the Kogi Youth Frontier (KYF), called upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to encourage judges across the nation to uphold the integrity of Biometric Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) in Nigeria’s electoral process. This will not only restore trust in the electoral system but also ensure the emergence of credible leadership as desired by the nation’s citizens.
Danjuma expressed concern over the conflicting court judgments regarding the use of BVAS in election-related disputes, citing recent examples from Bayelsa and Kogi states. He noted that these contradictory rulings are both embarrassing and detrimental to the nation’s democratic principles.
The KYF president recounted the case of the Kogi State gubernatorial election held on November 11, 2023. Despite the BVAS records being presented and accepted as evidence by the tribunal, judges have distanced themselves from the results, citing doubts about the credibility of the INEC data analyst who carried out the analysis.
In response to this apparent miscarriage of justice, the Kogi Youth Frontier is urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the Supreme Court stands by the rule of law. By addressing these lower court misinterpretations and misapplications, Nigeria can reaffirm its commitment to democracy and provide relief to the people of Kogi who have suffered from electoral suppression.
“We are aware of the substantial investment of over 500 billion Naira to implement BVAS technology, the KYF asserts that the future of Nigeria’s democracy hinges on the Supreme Court’s willingness to review the decisions of lower courts. By ensuring that BVAS records are respected and considered in electoral disputes, the Supreme Court can restore the faith of Kogi’s voters and protect their right to choose their leaders without undue influence.
The KYF emphasized that only through a fair and transparent judicial process can the nation hope to overcome the potential for corruption and manipulation in its electoral system. With this in mind, they implore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to join them in advocating for the Supreme Court to take decisive action and uphold the rule of law in the ongoing BVAS controversy.” he said.
