BVAS crisis : INEC should return Nwafor to Abuja immediately – Igbo group demands

By Phil Okose, Onitsha

A pan Igbo grassroots socio-cultural organization, Imeobi Igbo Forum, Monday, in Onitsha, Anambra State, demanded for the immediate return of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, originator of Nigerian version of Bimodel Voter Accreditation System, BVAS and former IT director in INEC headquarters, Mr. Chidi Nwafor, to Abuja.

Recall that Nwafor, prior to the February 25, 2023 general elections, was said to have been deliberately transferred to Enugu State, as Director of Administration.

Reacting to the transfer, through its  National chairman, Chief Mike Ikegulu, Imeob Igbo Forum, demands that Chidi Nwafor, should be returned to his Product in Abuja, for restoration of confidence in the use of BVAS, as a square peg in a square hole.

“INEC should immediately reverse the posting of Chidi Nwafor, to his position at INEC for efficiency in transmission of States elections’ results and restore confidence in the use of BVAS technology. It is the recipe for smooth running of the BVAS and the other related technologies.

” It is public knowledge that the originator of our version of BVAS, one Mr Chidi Nwafor, who had served as director in the IT department at INEC headquarters, was deliberately posted out far away to Enugu State, as Administrative Secretary. We can no longer take the lie about technical hitches that caused the server to go offline during the 25th March presidential election.

“When every Bisi, Haruna and Okeke knew that the servers technically hosted on Amazon Web Services had no technical hitch, considering the antecedents of the hosting platform but could have been deliberately shot down. It’s bizarre and inconceivable to note that on 16th of August 22, Mr Nwafor was technically demoted from ICT director, to State Administrative Secretary.

“Apparently because he wouldn’t be trusted by the powers that be. Let’s be reminded that Chidi Nwafor was a Japan trained computer programming guru, who was key to the development of BVAS in Nigeria and he developed systems to back it up in case of malfunction.

“He had served in INEC deployments in two previous presidential elections and had a first hand knowledge and experience in experimental deployment of BVAS in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun off season elections.

“It is mind boggling that he was replaced by the director of planning and monitoring. Looks like replacing an engineer with a teacher in a high tech unit. Where in the world does such happen? Nigeria. It’s inconceivable to note that the head of IT at INEC is a BAT ally, Mr Femi Odubiyi, a former Commissioner in Lagos State.

“Inability to upload the results real time, has clearly demonstrated compromise in the outcome of the presidential ballot. In saner climes, Mahmud Yakubu should rescue himself from further participation in other elections for the sloppy handling of the elections and showing no remorse for that. Rather than answer to the enquiries about the irregularities in the presidential election he’s gearing up to perpetrate a similar mess on 18th March,” he stated.

According to Ikegulu, a winner was hurriedly declared before the cock crowed, without reconciliation of figures and resolving complaints, as if the organization is in cahoots with those that carried out the electoral heists.

” Considering that the electoral law says, once results are declared, only a court can reverse, thus enhancing the new mockery, insulting and sardonic phrase of ‘ Go to Court’. With the knowledge that Nigerians are dumb and dormant on issues that concern them out of religious and tribal jingoism. But that of Doguwa was reversed, talking about a confused system. As if the temple of justice, is a stable for fraud, oppression and perpetuating injustice.

“This obvious renege by INEC on their guideline to upload polling unit results real time, went wrong the day Nwafor was sentenced to oblivion. INEC must return Chidi Nwafor, to handle his product , if the organization has nothing crooked against the interest of the masses of Nigeria in the forth coming States elections.Why should Nigeria undermine herself and still hope to make progress?” he querried.