BVAS Will Address Money Politics, Says Keyamo SAN

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) has expressed confidence that the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will help to eliminate money politics from Nigeria’s elections.

The council’s spokesman Festus Keyamo said this when he appeared at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum yesterday in Abuja.

Keyamo, who is also the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for introducing BVAS electronic transmission of result from polling units.

The ruling party’s campaign spokesman noted that with the introduction of the two technologies into Nigeria’s elections, the days when electoral officers and security agencies were being paid to change results at collation centres are gone.

He said hitherto, money was used to bribe security agencies and electoral officials to alter results, but BVAS would take away that.

Keyamo described BVAS as a blessing to Nigeria’s electoral system.

“For me, BVAS is a blessing. BVAS is a blessing because it will de-emphasise money in politics. It is now from the unit level straight to the central server in Abuja.

“You can access the central server from the ward collation centre, but you cannot change it. You can enter and see what has been transmitted to Abuja.

“So, when the wrong copy comes from the unit, you can compare and say this is what has been transmitted to Abuja.

“Who do you want to bribe there? Nobody!

“So, for me, even BVAS has reduced the issue of money in politics, and I love that,” he said.

Keyamo has also said the ruling party will win next Saturday’s presidential election fair and square.

“Without trying to sound overconfident, I can tell you that the election is ours to lose.

“If you take the baseline for projection for 2015 and 2019 elections, you will discover that in terms of demographic setup of Nigeria and the voting pattern in the last two elections, the APC has an upper hand.

“If you take the baseline from the recent elections, then you will know that the election is for APC and our candidate to lose.

“Demographically, we are extremely strong. We are the most diverse with widespread all over the country. The APC is the only party without concentration of support from one part of the country,” he said.

Keyamo also said the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will record clear victory in Saturday’s election without a need for a run-off poll.

“To be honest with you, two parties can easily make the 25 per cent in 24 states, and that is the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They have this spread.

“So, let’s be honest about that. Yes, they have the spread because they have been parties that have been long in trench and they have structures everywhere.

“APC is more likely to make that 25 per cent; PDP, less likely but possible.

“Labour Party (LP); it is almost impossible. It is not a comical matter. It’s a very factual matter. It’s factual because it’s a party that has not spent enough time.

“The whole praise for the LP; I praise them too. They have done a lot of work within a short time,” he said.

The campaign chief also said the court case filed by some APC governors over the Federal Government’s naira redesign policy is an indication of true federalism.

“People are calling for true federalism. What you are seeing in display is true federalism.

“They should support APC because APC is now displaying the character of true federation where the component parts can disagree with the Federal Government.

“Don’t forget that it was Asiwaju Tinubu that started it long ago when he was governor. He was always taking the Federal Government to court on every issue to tell you that the component parts of the country can disagree with the Federal Government.

“We are not going to sell off Nigerians because of party politics. That is what the governors have shown the world; that we are not prepared to sell you out because of loyalty to the centre,” he said.