I'll displace PDP in Rivers with BVAS —Beke

The Rivers APGA Governorship Candidate, Prince Ugo Beke, says his party will defeat the rulingPDP in the state with INEC's deployment of the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS).

The Supreme reports that BVAS is an electronic device introduced by the electoral umpire and designed to read the genuineness of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters – using either the voters' face or fingerprints during accreditation.

Beke, a merchant banker and financial consultant, said in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos that some of INEC's innovations in the electoral system gave him confidence that the process would be credible and transparent for him to emerge a winner.

"I have confidence the new election process will be credible." BVAS is the same technology we all use for our international passports when we travel.

"First, INEC is not the owner of the technology. But it only provides administration. The technology is domiciled in Dublin. We are using the satellite of Elon Musk. So, it is going to be difficult for INEC to manipulate the outcome of the election.

"The problem with the election process we have been conducting before had to do with the incident result form. Right now, that is not feasible. We now have backup for the system that is being operated.

"We also have the times that the satellite shuts down." We also know when the result can no longer be admitted. Ballot box snatching is no longer an issue.

"I believe INEC has no choice but to submit to the superiority of what has been put in place." "Therefore, I am confident that votes will count," he said.

On vote buying and selling, Beke said that Nigerians had tolerated bad governance for too long, saying, "I believe people will collect their (vote buyers') money and not vote for me."

According to him, the need to tackle development issues, make everybody equal, provide basic things for everybody, and ensure the happiness of everyone brought me into politics.

Speaking further on his confidence to dislodge PDP, Beke said that INEC had assured them that votes would count, saying, "Come 2023, Rivers will be administered by APGA."

On the performance ofGov. Nyesom Wike on infrastructural development, the candidate saidthe current leadership in the state had not positively affected the lives of residents in total.

Beke, who noted that as a specialist in policy formulation and execution at the highest level at African Union, United Nations and for corporate bodies, said that his governance would provide happiness and prosperity for every resident.

On what he planned to do differently if elected, Beke said that his agenda focused on economy, prosperity, and security.

He said that there was a need to revamp the security, saying, "I am advocating for a security trust fund."

Beke, who decried wastages and stealing of public resources, said the development had led to suffering and high rate of poverty.

"You can see our senses and sensibilities have been demonized." "We cannot even tell what is right from what is wrong," he said.

He urged the electorate to scrutinize all politicians and vote for candidates with character, competence, and contentment that they could depend on to deliver the dividends of democracy.

"With this, we will have taken a good step forward." "We need to take governance seriously," he said.

According to him, pollsters are not helping the matter as they are allegedly encouraging some politicians with the results of their polls.

The candidate commended the selfless leadership provided by Nigerian founding fathers like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Chief Michael Okpara at their time.

"We have not had this kind of leader. The leaders that we need now are those who will come with original ideas and policies that transform the whole society.

"It is not just about building bridges and roads." We should talk about human capital development. We should talk about empowerment. We should talk about how to grow the younger generations so they can key into the growth process of society.

"Our younger generations have fallen apart because they have become hopeless."

"Our younger generations are now talking about entertainments. They are talking about sports, which is okay. But we must produce. "We need youths that can produce," he added.

Beke reiterated his call for investments in research and development centers, saying "No nation can grow without research and development." "We have all the raw materials in Africa."