2023 election: Insist on using BVAS – Ishaku tells INEC

Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to insist on using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, in the forthcoming general election.

He also urged the electoral umpire to endeavour to hold an election that is not only free, fair, and credible but also acceptable to all Nigerians and the international community.

Ishaku made the call on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, State Campaign Council and State Campaign Management Committee.

He said Nigerians “will not tolerate any pretext under the name of overvoting, which the bimodal verification and accreditation system has abolished”.

He also urged political parties to focus their campaigns on their manifestos rather than insults and name-calling, which will unnecessarily inflame the polity.

Ishaku warned the residents to conduct themselves in an orderly manner during the polls, calling on parents and guardians to warn their wards against any form of violence during the election.

He said, “we must reign in on our wards to be of peaceful disposition by not allowing them to be used by mischief makers to serve as political thugs during elections because security personnel are under strict orders to deal decisively with those who attempt to disrupt the process.”

While insisting that Taraba is a PDP-controlled state, the party, according to him, “intend to keep it that way by running an issue-based campaign that focuses on the tremendous achievements we have recorded as a PDP-run administration, which are visible to all in areas such as infrastructure development and human capital development index.”

The two committees, according to Ishaku “have been deliberately and meticulously constituted by loyalists and dedicated party stalwarts who have contributed their time and resources to the phenomenal success and growth of the party not just in the state but throughout the country