Ahead of the upcoming Edo governorship election on September 21, 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured voters that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used during mock accreditation and training will not be used on Election Day. INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, gave this update during a stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City.

Yakubu emphasized that while the mock accreditation was successfully conducted in 12 polling units across six local government areas, the machines used for this exercise were for testing purposes only. “We are deploying different BVAS machines for voter accreditation on Election Day, and they have already been configured for both accreditation and result uploads,” he said.

The mock accreditation was a crucial part of INEC’s preparation, aimed at verifying the efficiency of BVAS technology to ensure a smooth and transparent election. Yakubu confirmed that the test run was a success, and the results can be seen on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

He also reassured voters that INEC has more than enough properly configured machines for the election, distinct from those used for training and mock accreditation.

The BVAS technology is critical in ensuring that only accredited voters participate in the election, helping to enhance the credibility of the voting process and minimize fraud.

As Election Day approaches, INEC’s transparency and commitment to using advanced technology are seen as steps toward strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.