From Judex Okoro, Calabar
Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof. Gabriel Yomere, has threatened to resign his appointment if it is established that any BVAS is missing.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held at INEC office in Calabar on Tuesday, Yomere
debunked the news of the missing BVAS calling on the public to disregard it.
The REC said: “The information via deliberate falsehood about missing BVAS by mischief makers is intended to mislead the public and unduly ignite anxiety. I would resign my appointment if it is established that any BVAS is missing.
“Cross Riverians and members of the general public are enjoined to ignore the information as the number of BVAS deployed from INEC headquarters to Cross River State office is intact and adequately secured.
“INEC Cross River State office cautions all citizens against circulating fake news capable of heating up the polity and undermining the neutrality and integrity of the commission”, he said.
According to him, the meeting was called to assure members of the public that there are no missing BVAS.
However, at the meeting, the Cross River State chapter of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the Commission disagreed over the state of the BVAS machines.
While IPAC state’s chairman, Anthony Bisong, requested that they should have access to the bar codes attached to the BVAS and that political parties should sight the machines, the REC said the materials are very sensitive and ought not to be presented to members of the public.
Bisong, who staged a walkout, said they have reservations over what is being done by INEC.
There are rumours making the rounds that the Cross River INEC are discreetly moving BVAS machines into government house in Calabar at night ahead of the 2023 poll.
This has sparked off reactions from Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing the northern senatorial district and state PDP.
