The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the August 15 Osun Governorship election will make electoral malpractice more difficult.
INEC’s Head of Department, Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Inclusivity, Mr Rufus Ariyo, described the technology as a “game-changer”, saying it would ensure that only duly accredited voters cast ballots.
Ariyo said manual accreditation would not be allowed, explaining that voters would be accredited electronically through BVAS using facial recognition or fingerprints.
He said the system would verify that the person presenting themselves at the polling unit was the same person registered to vote, thereby making multiple voting difficult.
According to him, the number of votes recorded at a polling unit could not exceed the number of voters accredited and transmitted from the unit.
Ariyo stated that the electronic accreditation process would therefore help strengthen the integrity of the election and make manipulation of the voting process more difficult.
He urged voters to comply with the accreditation process and participate peacefully in Saturday’s election.
The electoral body also reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible and transparent election, in line with its mandate to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
