22 BVAS machines missing in Rivers

•We’ve enough machines for polls — INEC assures

By Davies Iheamnachor,PORT HARCOURT

About 22 of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, in Rivers State for the Governorship and House of Assembly polls are feared missing.

This was as over 6865 of the machines deployed to the state have been successfully reconfigured for Saturday’s polls.

It was gathered that three of the accreditation machines were damaged beyond repairs, hence cannot be used for the polls.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Johnson Alalibo, told newsmen and representatives of election observers for the polls that the development would not affect the process.

Alalibo said the commission has enough back-up systems, adding that the missing ones would not disturb the process in anyway.

He said that the electoral umpire would ensure that those missing gadgets would not be used by criminals.

The INEC’s REC further promised that election results would be uploaded in real time after the voting process, assuring of a free and fair process.

However, the State representative of the YIAGA Africa, Obinna Ebogidi, has urged INEC to ensure that their promise of enough machines should to be guaranteed.

Ebogidi said: “The REC told us that 22 of the BVAS machines are missing while “6865 BVAS machines have been reconfigured ahead of Saturday’s poll.

“Our concern is that results should be uploaded from the polling units early to avoid a repeat of what transferred in the last election.”