BVAS: APC Intensifies Plot to Oust INEC Chairman, Mahmood Ayakubu

Some members of the All Progressives Congress are reportedly uncomfortable with the insistence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to wholly deploy technology in the conduct of the 2023 elections.

This has led to the calls by some quarters of the ruling party for the sack ot INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood.

The APC has allegedly intensified plots to instigate the National Assembly to pass a vote of no confidence that could lead to the suspension or removal of Yakubu.

Some senators are said to be under pressure to recommend Yakubu’s suspension or removal to President Muhammadu Buhari.

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The 1999 Constitution, as amended, stipulates that the President can only remove the INEC Chairman on the strength of a recommendation by the Senate.

The President will have to rely on the nod of two-thirds of members of the Senate, the nation’s highest law-making body to discipline the INEC chairman.

The argument is for the INEC chairman to discard the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal in the 2023 general elections.

As stated in Section 157 (1) of the Constitution; “Subject to the provision of subsection (3) of this Removal Section, a person holding any of the offices to which this section applies may only be removed from that office by the president acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct.”

Subsection 2 states:

“This section applies to the office of the chairman and member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, the Federal Civil Service Commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission, the Federal Character Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Population Commission, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the Police Service Commission.”

A source told The Sun that those opposed to Yakubu’s use of technology in the conduct of next year’s election want the Senate to initiate an inquiry on INEC preparation for the elections, with the view to finding fault in the whole process.

It was learnt that such a conclusion would then give impetus to the recommendation for a change of the leadership of INEC, which could truncate the plan for the use of BVAS and other technological devices that would forestall election rigging.