Large Deployment Of Security Personnels Cannot Stop Votes Trading – Nigeria Situation Room 

… Commends INEC On Improvement Of  BVAS Functionality 

By Philip Tayo 

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The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has revealed in its election Mid-Day briefing / report that deploying large numbers of security personnels for election is now ineffective as it can no longer stop the menace of vote trading during elections in the Country. 

Addressing the journalists on Saturday during its mid-day briefing, the Co-Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Mr Franklin Oloniju berated the idea of security agencies deploying large numbers of security personnels in curbing vote buying and vote selling, saying such a strategy no longer workable in the Country.

Oloniju while reading the mid-day press statement, said despite the high presence of Police and other security men at the polling units, vote buying and vote selling still occurred. 

The NCSSR commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the improvement in the usage of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation which performed optimally in 99%.

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The Bimodal Voters Accreditation System BVAS performed optimally in 99 percent of the polling units observed, though some isolated cases of BVAS malfunctioning were recorded in some areas like Isikan, FUTA Gate, both in Akure South LGA respectively. 

They stated that BVAS which malfunctioned were replaced by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to avoid delay in electoral process and enhance smooth running of the election.  

Speaking further, the Co-Convener Situation Room, Oloniju observed that the vulnerable were mostly accorded priority at the polling units. “Devices which aids the easy voting by them were distributed across the polling units.

Similarly, security agencies observed at the polling units were generally polite and professional, hailing the early arrival of security personnels. “Situation Room observers noted that security personnel arrived early at polling units.

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Also, cases of persistent vote trading during elections continues to trend despite the presence of security personnel at polling units. “Vote trading went on openly and unchecked during the voting hours”, situation room explained. 

The issue of fake news were recorded by the Situation Room as it reveals 13 of such incidence were experienced. 

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