Janet Samuel, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed a claim by the Director of the New Media Campaign Team of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) in Kogi state alleging that staff of the Commission are reconfiguring the BVAS machines at the Government House.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi refuting the fake news said this followed a report that the intention of the INEC staff is to manipulate the forthcoming election in favor of a candidate.
The statement reads “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a statement signed by ID Ijele, Director of New Media of the SDP Governorship campaign team in Kogi State. The statement alleged that three staff of INEC are right now maliciously reconfiguring the BVAS machines in the Government House, Lokoja, with the intention of manipulating the forthcoming Governorship election in the State in favour of a candidate.
“The story is untrue. The three persons mentioned are not associated with the configuration of the BVAS machines and not even in Kogi State at the moment. Mr. Nicholas Ocholi is on his duty post in our Ondo State office in Akure. Ibrahim Egbunu is attending to a very close family member hospitalised in Abuja. Mohammed Adara retired last year and is no longer a staff of the Commission”.
“The configuration of BVAS is done simultaneously and exclusively in our offices in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States professionally and strictly handled by teams deployed from the national HQ, Abuja.
“The public is advised to disregard the story as fake news. At the same time, the Commission appeals to political parties to desist from engaging in malicious rumour mongering of this nature.”
