Mock accreditation: BVAS successful amidst low turnout

From Bassey Willie, Yenagoa, Peter Moses, Abeokuta & Usman A. Bello, Benin

The mock accreditation conducted yesterday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) was successful amidst low turnout of voters.

Reports from Bayelsa, Edo and Ogun showed that the exercise went on without hitches.

INEC’s head of voter education and publicity in Bayelsa State, Wilfred Ofogah, told journalists in Yenagoa that the exercise, which took place in 12 units across six local government areas – Sagbama, Ekeremor, Yenagoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Nembe and Ogbia – conducted peacefully.

He said the exercise was designed for INEC to test the BVAS ahead of deployment for the actual elections coming up in a few weeks.

In Ogun State, the mock accreditation conducted across six local government areas of the state was hitch-free but recorded a low turnout.

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The exercise was conducted in Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Ado, Odo/Ota, Ogun Waterside, Sagamu and Egbado South.

The mock accreditation, which started around 8:30am, was peaceful and seamless as residents were attended to promptly with an average time.

In Edo, INEC expressed satisfaction with the performance of the BVAS deployed for the mock accreditation exercise in the state.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Efanga said Efanga, said the exercise went well. He said the BVAS worked smoothly in all the polling units visited, adding that it would enable voters identify their new polling units.