By Florence Anyanwu
A non governmental Organization, Northern Initiative for Defense of Democracy and Justice (NIDDJ) has said the judgment of kogi state governorship election petition at the supreme court on Friday will decide the fate of Biometric Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) , electorate and position of rule of law in the country’s electoral system .
The president of NNDJ, Ambassador Nurudeen Musa Sadiq. disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday, ahead of supreme court judgment on Friday 23rd 2024 on the disputes arising from 11th November governorship election in kogi state .
He said the judgment of Supreme court will justify whether the over N500b expended on the purchase of (BVAS) for free and fair election in the country is justified ,or a mere window dressing to deceive electorate and ridicule the rule of law.
“Against the backdrop of principle fair play and rule of law as enshrined in our electoral laws , it’s the contention of the NIDDJ that the supreme court should critically access the position of BVAS and its records according to the enabling law of the said election in kogi state, not the technicality of the law.
” We are expecting a landmark judgement from the apex court that will be a watershed to minimise rigging and other electoral malpractices which will enable electorate to have the power to decide who rule them or not .
“The decision on kogi guber election disputes have positive and negative spiral effect on the future election in the land ; as such , we expect the eminent judges to painstakingly take decision in consonance with rule of law for a flourishing enduring democracy in the country”, he said .
Ambassador Sadiq added that by-passing BVAS that has the backing of enabling law of election for technicality in deciding election disputes is tantamount to a miscarriage of justice and an invitation to legalise rigging and other electoral vices in the county’s future election.
The electoral Act said : “Where the total number of votes cast at a Polling Unit exceeds the number of accredited voters at the Polling Unit, the result of the election for that Polling Unit shall be declared null and void, and a report in that regard shall be made to the Collation Officer.
“INEC failed to act ,as directed by the rule of this electoral law ,despite confirming this fraud in disputed areas in that election with a statement.
“The kogi state Governorship petition Tribunal and Appeal court closed their legal mind off it ,despite BVAS’s confirmation to that effect, as demonstrated, revealed and documented during the proceeding at the tribunal by electoral umpire.
Ambassador Sadiq stressed further that since BVAS has clarified the real result in the said election in kogi 11th governorship election, the onus lies on the supreme court to set the record straight by its Friday’s expected judgement, for decency to be restored to our electoral system.
