With the latest episode unfolding in Edo State. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has slammed allegations of BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) machine smuggling, calling the claims “baseless, unsubstantiated, and without merit.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) had stirred the pot earlier, filing a petition on October 10th, accusing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of smuggling BVAS machines and voter registers into INEC’s Benin office. Sounds like something straight out of a political thriller, right? But alas, it appears that fiction has no place in reality this time. INEC, through its Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, wasted no time in dismissing the claims. In a statement released on Friday, Onuoha said the commission had completed its investigation, and the accusations were nothing but political untrue.
Onuoha reassured the public that at no point were the BVAS machines or voter registers tampered with or unlawfully accessed by any political party or external entity. “Baseless, unsubstantiated, and without merit,” he repeated, as if to drive home just how frivolous he found the accusations.
Onuoha also gave the APC a lesson in political responsibility, reminding everyone that INEC is fully committed to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process. The commission, he said, treats such serious allegations with “the highest level of rigour, professionalism, and impartiality.” In other words, INEC doesn’t have time for unfounded accusations and political mudslinging.
In a country where electoral malpractice is a constant fear, Onuoha’s reassurances are worth noting. “As an institution tasked with ensuring free, fair, and credible elections, INEC will not tolerate any form of malpractice,” he stated. The man clearly means business. According to him, the integrity of the BVAS machines and all other electoral materials is intact, and anyone suggesting otherwise is simply stirring up drama for no good reason.
Onuoha went further to point out that INEC is ready to comply with a recent court order to facilitate the inspection of election materials. So, for those who are still doubtful, INEC will be throwing open the doors and letting everyone take a good, hard look at the electoral materials. Transparency, he says, is the name of the game, and the commission will ensure that everything is handled according to the rule of law.
For political actors who might be hoping to gain some mileage from spreading false claims, Onuoha had some advice: instead of fueling baseless rumors, maybe focus on strengthening democratic principles. After all, every time wild accusations like this hit the headlines, they chip away at public confidence in the electoral system—something Nigeria can’t afford right now.
