The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has said that the says the vehement opposition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) is ploy to rig the 2023 elections.
Recall that the national chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and the party’s organising secretary, Suleiman Argungun, had said that the nation was not ripe and ready for the deployment of technology in the conduct of the 2023 general election.
The duo of Adamu and Argungun had lamented the decision of INEC as announced by its chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, that it will deploy the BVAS and IReV in the conduct of the 2023 elections, insisting that the country doesn’t possess the technical know-how including availability of enabling communication network and facilities for same.
However, CUPP said APC position on the deployment of technology for 2023 presidential election is spurred by the realisation that the party has been rejected by Nigerians.
“It is a subtle manifestation of the plot of the APC to manipulate and rig the 2023 general election having sensed the inevitable rejection by Nigerians in the impending elections.
“We wish to state that the position of the APC is grossly unfounded, uncharitable and doesn’t in any way reflect the views of the CUPP or the general masses of the Nigerian people.
“We wish to further add that the decision of INEC has since been received by the Nigerian people with enormous optimism, enthusiasm and has rekindled their hope of a free, credible and transparent election and any attempt to go back on its words will only further breed distrust and dampen the spirit of the people.
“We encourage INEC to stay strong and proceed with the systematic implementation of these laudable reforms which are capable of cleansing our electoral system and setting it on the path of glory.
“We wish INEC success in the task ahead of her but advise that it be wary of agents of retrogression such as the APC,” CUPP said.