Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has dismissed speculations of a plan to remove the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and stop the use of Bimodal Voter Registration System (BVAS) in the 2023 general elections.
Adesina spoke on Tuesday at a policy dialogue programme organised to mark the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI) in Abuja.
The policy dialogue, themed “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria”, was organised by the Ministry of Justice, Kano State Government and Managing Conflict in Nigeria Programme.
Adesina advised journalists not to give attention to people with hidden intentions to disrupt the 2023 general elections by spreading rumour.
He said, “Recently, there was one group that said the chairman of INEC was going to be removed because maybe they didn’t want BVAS.
“How many times has the President spoken about the role of technology in getting him into office?
“He has spoken about it locally and internationally that three times he contested three times he ended at the Supreme Court because the government of the day would just write results.
“Then he said until technology came and there was a permanent voter cards and so it was difficult to write results.
“So, how and why can the same person have issues with BVAS? I saw that group on television alleging that there was plan to remove the INEC chairman and the media gave them that opportunity.
“Such things should be treated with contradictions because they don’t make sense, at least not under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Adesina said that on Monday, Buhari, at a meeting in Imo, also gave orders to the police to ensure the 2023 general elections are credible.
“If you are going to rig elections, of course the police will be critical in rigging it and here you hear the president saying at every opportunity that ‘Don’t rig election,'” he said.
Adesina added that while Buhari has always stressed his commitment to credible elections, the media, the electoral management body and other stakeholders have critical roles to play to achieve that.
