Oyo State: INEC Affirms Credibility of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Adeniran Tella, disclosed this while monitoring the conduct of the exercise in 12 polling units across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Tella, who led other management staff of the Commission, alongside the State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Kayode Odedokun, and representatives of security agencies and para military agencies to monitor the exercise, expressed satisfaction at the turnout and awareness of the electorate despite the fact that it was not a real election.

Speaking of the BVAS, the REC said ‘It is the game changer, and we are making use of it in this coming general elections for authentication, verification, uploading and accreditation.’

Tella, however, advised that the electoral process and the ongoing political system should not be left in the hands of election administrators alone and called for inclusive participation of all citizens.

‘We must continue to engage ourselves by seeking solutions to identified problems confronting election processes in the country,’he stressed.

He explained that the enactment of the set of laws embedded in the new Electoral Act, 2022 was to strengthen the electoral process in the real sense but it should not be regarded as an end to the means, because of human problems which is dynamic and multifaceted. He, therefore, urged everyone to come together to proffer the perfect solution such that the cycle would not continue.

‘Going by the fact that we are making use of new technology that guarantees transparency and credible elections, with the enthusiasm of Nigerians, the goodwill of the stakeholders and the commitment of the Commission, we are going to deliver credible elections to Nigerians,’the REC added.

Corroborating the REC, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) director, Kayode Odedokun, said that the BVAS machines were effective in the polling units monitored, assuring Nigerians that the electoral body had fully prepared to deliver transparent and credible elections.

He promised that his agency would continue to support the commission through awareness and sensitiszation of the general public to the need to perform their civic responsibility during the forthcoming general elections.

Among the polling units where the REC and his entourage monitored the exercise are PU 017 (Oba Akinbiyi High School, Mokola), Ward 10 and PU 096 (Methodist Primary School, N5, NTA Agodi), Ward 04, both in Ibadan North local government area.

The INEC entourage also monitored the exercise at PU 034 (Onilearo Junction, Orogun), Ward 08 and PU 01 (Anglican Primary School, Akingbinle), Ward 05, both in Akinyele local government area.

A cross section of the electorate, who showed up for the exercise, lauded the INEC for the effective functionality of the BVAS machines.

Commenting, Mr.  Oladeji Adekunle, who was accredited at PU 017, Oba Akinbiyi High School, Mokola, urged the electoral body to intensify efforts in sensitizing voters to come out on the election days.

Adekunle, who observed that the turnout for the mock accreditation was low at his polling unit, however, lauded the INEC for the exercise.

Also, Mr Eleshi Jamiu, who participated in the exercise at PU 006, situated inside the premises of Methodist Primary School, NTA, Agodi, urged the INEC to ensure that the BVAS machines work on election days, exactly as it worked during the mock accreditation.

Mr Olumide Ali, a registered voter at PU 034, Onilearo Junction, Orogun, said the turnout was low, but commended the INEC for the exercise, affirming that the BVAS machine assigned to his Polling Unit performed excellently well.