The Labour Party’s (LP) gubernatorial candidate in today’s off-cycle governorship election, Athan Achonu, has alleged a plot to rig the poll.
Achonu alleges that there is a plot to ensure that BVAS malfunctions in some polling units across the state. He asserted that the purpose was either to produce a falsified result or to disrupt the voting process in specific areas where the riggers lacked a strong presence.
The LP candidate made the appeal while addressing journalists in Owerri, the state capital.
Speaking through his Director of Media and Publicity, Chibuikem Diala, Achonu called on the Resident Electoral Commissioners, REC, to halt the alleged changing of BVAS passwords by the Registration Area Technical Support.
He claimed that the plot by officials on the night of the previous Friday aimed to compromise the election process.
He stated: “The Senator Athan Achonu Media Centre wishes to alert security agents and patriotic INEC staff, especially those sent from outside Owerri for this election, about plans already concluded to compromise the BVAs for use for the election by the RATECH team.
“Reliable intelligence from certain LGAs in Owerri Federal Constituency has uncovered discussions by the technical team in those LGAs about providing incorrect passwords to some of the ad hoc staff for this election.
“Specifically, this deceitful plan was discussed at the Owerri Municipal and Owerri North Local Government Areas, where the Head of the RATECH team has finalised plans to issue inaccurate passwords to POs, especially those posted to polling units with a high number of voters.
“According to the source, the instruction is to ensure that some of the BVAS malfunction at the polling units. The aim is either to produce a false result or disrupt the voting process in specific areas where the riggers lack a strong presence.
“This is shameful and devilish. All party agents in every booth and ward, as well as voters should hold the ‘RATHEC Team responsible, not the POs, wherever BVAs password is wrong because it has been compromised. We also urge all POs to escalate this criminality wherever it is found.”
