2023: INEC deploys 3,508 BVAS, conducts mock accreditation on Feb 4 in Kogi

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has deployed no fewer than 3,508 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, (BVAS) for the 2023 general election in Kogi State.

The electoral body subsequently announced Saturday, February 4th 2023 for mock accreditation of voters using BVAS across three Senatorial Districts in Kogi State.

The Head of the Department of Voter Education of INEC in Kogi State Haliru Haruna Sule disclosed this on Wednesday when he was featured on current affairs programme on a private radio station in Kogi State.

Sule stated that the Commission has set aside many backup BVAS in case any of the system malfunction during the election period.

According to the INEC officials, mock accreditation will be taking place in six Local Government Areas in the State.

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They are Lokoja, Kabba Bunu, Okene, Ajaokuta, Dekina and Ibaji Local Government Area.

“Every voter has digital identities. The BVAS is meant for the accreditation of voters and testing of the voters’ biometrics. We deliberately choose some Local Governments, especially in Ibaji which we believe has the remotest polling units in Kogi State and the inhabitants of Ibaji are predominantly farmers.

“Most of them are engaged in hard labour and we feel that the BVAS should be tested there. If they cannot be authenticated with their fingerprint they can be authenticated with their facials. We want to ensure that their footprint is authenticated. We want to test the durations of the batteries of the BVAS practically.

“On election day, the election is supposed to start from 8:30 am and close by 2:30 PM. But the rule says all the people in the queue either are 200, you must attend to them. You can’t say because it is 2:30 PM you won’t attend to them. You must attend to those that are in the queue. It is part of what we want to test between 8:30 am to between 5 PM or 6 PM and more” he stated.