Some political candidates in Rivers State have expressed fears that though the deployment of 6,866 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) may limit manipulation of election results, old politicians may deploy strategies to rig the  2023 elections. 

They have, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC) to be at alert and up their ante to address areas that can cause disfranchisement and rigging of the polls.

According to the Labour Party candidate for House of Representatives, Asari -Toru, Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency, Hilda Dokubo, the traditional  politicians may  choose to create a problem at the polling units by using their loyalists to  scare voters away, and then  bring in their own people  to  vote. 

She maintained that any action that would disfranchise any voter to make way for preferred voters would amount to election rigging and should be addressed. 

She said: “Yes, the BVAS is here and Rivers State has been known as hot zone for elections. My constituency, Asari-Toru and Akuku-Toru have always been a war zone during elections.  The BVAS is here  and it says one man, one vote, what if on election day we come out, queue up for elections  and then this group comes, shoots into the air, people run away, then they  bring their own people with  PVCs to vote while others, who have PVCs, are not allowed to vote, is that not election  rigging? 

“Going by our electoral history, these are the things that happened and such acts will still lead to electoral malpractice even though BVAS is used. So, we pray that traditional politicians, who see elective  positions  as a means of survival  and not a means  to transform the  society  don’t create problems and confusion at the polling units.” 
 
While urging youths to stay away from being used by anybody or put their lives on the line of danger for  dirty jobs, Dokubo, who is a veteran actress, urged the electoral umpire and relevant authorities to be at alert. 

Similarly, the senatorial candidate of Allied Peoples Movement for Rivers South-East District, Dr. Patience Osaroejiji, said women are going through so much economic pains and are willing to come out and vote for credible leaders, urging politicians not to scare them away on election days.

MEANWHILE, the INEC in Rivers has expressed confidence that with the deployment of BVAS, security of votes are assured, especially with the double capturing of facials and fingerprints 

Speaking with The Guardian, the INEC Public Relations Officer in the state, Geraldine Ekelemu,  said a lot has been put in place to ensure  that  every vote counts.

She urged politicians to play by the rules, saying: “Politicians should go through sections of the Electoral Acts,  read and understand what those sections say and abide by them. If they abide by what the law says, it will give room for a peaceful conduct of the election.