Stakeholders in Taraba Laud Speed of BIVAS

Political stakeholders in Taraba State Saturday lauded the efficiency and speed of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Governor Darius Ishaku, who voted at his polling Unit PU 004 in Takum at about 12:20 p.m, lauded the speed of the device.

Ishaku, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Taraba South Senatorial District, however, appealed to INEC to extend the voting time in the locality following the incident of missing electoral results sheets, which delayed the commencement of voting in the area.

“I appeal to the INEC to extend the voting time in Takum to enable voters in areas where electoral materials arrived late to exercise their franchise.

“We had hitches regarding the distribution of election materials and it was sorted out late.

“Most areas received their voting materials late and I want to appeal to INEC to extend the voting time beyond 2 p.m.,” he said.

Mr Usman Abdullahi, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Taraba Command, confirmed the missing result sheets but said the issue was later resolved.

“Presidential and National Assembly election results form ECE8 were declared missing in Takum, forcing security agencies to recall all vehicles, which left to various wards in Takum Local Government Area to return to Takum late last night to sort out the missing result sheets.

“The election result sheets were declared missing and the Electoral Officer was held in custody, but the result sheets were later found,” he said.

Mr Danjuma Shidi, the candidate of the Taraba South Senatorial district of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who voted in Wukari, also praised the BVAS device, saying it was going to change the game for those that specialise in election rigging.

Shidi expressed confidence that though his candidacy was still being challenged at the Supreme Court by Mr David Jimkuta, the APC would defeat the incumbent governor, who is the senatorial candidate of the PDP.

Also, Lt. Col. Kefas Agbu (rtd), the PDP  governorship candidate in Taraba, who voted in his home town, Wukari, hailed the efficiency of the BVAS machine.

He commended the voter turnout in the area and expressed confidence that his party would emerge victorious. (NAN)