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Tag: BVAS

  • JUST IN: INEC confirms date for Ekiti Governorship election

    JUST IN: INEC confirms date for Ekiti Governorship election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the Ekiti State Governorship election will be held on Saturday 20th June, 2026 as earlier announced.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the confirmation is contained in the notice of election released by INEC on Wednesday.

    Recall that the electoral umpire, in May, for the first time, announced the Saturday 20th June, 2026 date for the Ekiti State Governorship election.

    INEC disclosed that the publication of the notice of election is in line with Section 28(1)&(2) of the Electoral Act 2022, as amended.

    The commission affirmed that the 2026 Ekiti State Governorship election “shall be conducted in the 16 (sixteen) local government areas (LGAs) of the State”.

    In the notice, INEC disclosed that the election will take place across all 2,445 polling units in Ekiti and that the exercise will commence from 8:30 am.

    “Only persons whose names appear on the register of voters and have valid permanent voter card shall be allowed to vote.

    “Voters shall only vote at polling units where they are registered.

    “The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) shall be used for the accreditation of voters.

    “No pvc, no voting,” the notice of election for the Ekiti State Governorship election released by INEC reads.

  • BVAS, IReV not electoral scam – INEC

    BVAS, IReV not electoral scam – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reaffirms its Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) are not scams.

    INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Dr Lawrence Bayode, made this clarification during a conversation organised by the commission on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday in Abuja.

    In his presentation, titled “BVAS and IREV: Facts and Myths,” Bayode said both BVAS and IREV were technological innovations aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s electoral process.

    He emphasised that INEC had taken bold steps and made concerted efforts to improve the credibility, transparency, and accuracy of elections through technology.

    Bayode described BVAS and IREV as key components of Nigeria’s election process, noting that various misconceptions had created doubts about their functions.

    “There is a belief that BVAS and IREV are scams.

    “This misconception arises from misunderstandings, technical issues, and general distrust in the electoral process. However, this belief is incorrect,” he said.

    “BVAS verifies voters using fingerprint and facial recognition, ensuring that only accredited voters cast their ballots.

    “IREV is an online portal that allows the public to view scanned polling unit results for transparency. It does not count votes or collate results.”

    He dismissed the notion that technical failures, such as slow uploads, server downtimes, or network issues, equated to fraud.

    “These challenges do not mean the system was designed to deceive voters. Rather, they highlight areas that need improvement in election management,” he explained.

    Bayode further debunked the myth that BVAS transmitted election results, stressing that its primary role was voter accreditation and authentication.

    “BVAS does not directly transmit election results. Instead, results are recorded on Form EC8A, which is then uploaded to IREV,” he stated.

    “BVAS is used at polling units for voter accreditation. IREV is an online platform where scanned polling unit results are uploaded for public viewing.”

    “BVAS significantly reduces voter impersonation and over-voting, other electoral malpractices, such as violence and vote-buying, can still occur,” he noted.

    He also dispelled the myth that voting could not continue if BVAS failed, explaining that INEC provided backup devices, and in rare cases, elections in affected polling units might be rescheduled.

    Bayode highlighted BVAS’ role in reducing electoral fraud, stating that voter impersonation and multiple voting had been significantly curbed since its introduction.

    “IREV has also enhanced transparency by allowing citizens to verify polling unit results in real time.

    “Before IREV, election results were not easily accessible to the public. Now, discrepancies can be identified, which proves the system enhances transparency rather than being a scam,” he said.

    INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Victoria Eta-Messi, added that the commission was collaborating with the National Assembly and stakeholders to amend the Electoral Act, particularly on election results management.

    She also reiterated INEC’s commitment to voter education to build public trust, reduce voter apathy, and promote credible elections.

  • Ondo: BVAS not perfect – PDP candidate reacts after voting

    Ondo: BVAS not perfect – PDP candidate reacts after voting

    Mr Agboola Ajayi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Ondo State Governorship Election, has expressed displeasure at the conduct of the election in Kiribo, Ese-Odo Local Government Area.

    Ajayi was accredited and cast his vote at 10:45 a.m., at Unit 4,  Ward 2 Idumado in Kiribo. Ese-Odo LGA. The PDP governorship candidate and a former deputy governor said that it took more than 10 minutes for the INEC BVAS to capture him.

    “The system is not perfect and there are lots of complainants here and there. If INEC cannot successfully organise an election in just one state, then you must know that we are running into anarchy.

    “I think it is deliberate on the part of INEC, on the part of the Resident Electoral Commission (REC). And we have said it severally that we don’t trust Barr. Oluwatoyin Babalola (REC). That this woman cannot be fair.

    “The system is compromised and we have series of calls made by everybody. People are complaining of vote buying, BVAS problem. It is a very shameful exercise,” he said.

    Agboola also called for the resignation of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman,

    “And I think people should call on the INEC chairman to resign if he cannot do the job. He should just resign. It is totally compromised. This is sad and Nigerians are not happy. Here, it is peaceful to some extent,” he said.

  • Ondo: INEC responds as BVAS fails to capture elderly

    Ondo: INEC responds as BVAS fails to capture elderly

    A Presiding Officer, Miss Angela Oshogwe, at the ongoing governorship election in Ondo State has said that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine could not capture faces of some elderly voters.

    Oshogwe, manning Poling Unit 19, Ward 11 Olamojuba, Ondo in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state, said that she had lodged the complaints to the concerned authorities.

    She added that the response she got was that the complaint was not limited to her polling unit, stating that the elderly had been waiting for long to vote without success.

    According to her, there is the possibility of the BVAS to function before the close of  voting.

    Reacting to the complaint, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, told NAN that the commission was aware of the development in “very limited” polling units

    “We are aware that in very limited cases, a few elderly voters couldn’t be accredited by the BVAS at first attempt. But, in subsequent attempts, the problem was resolved.

    “A Presiding Officer in one polling unit (PU) out of 3,933 PUs in Ondo State is not in the position to say how widespread a technical problem is.

    “From the reports at our disposal, so far, the BVAS is performing satisfactorily. It is not unusual for technical issues to occur in a major off-season election like the one we are conducting today.

    “We anticipated it and made adequate arrangements to respond to any type of challenge,” Oyekanmi said.

    A septuagenarian, Mrs Agnes Olapade, who was affected by the technical problem, said that she was disappointed that she could not vote due to malfunction of the BVAS.

    Olapade said she had been at the polling unit, with other affected elderly voters, since 8:00 a.m. without being able to vote. According to her. she voted in the previous elections without any difficulty.

    Similarly, Mrs Rukayat Olawoye, 87 years old, said that she came out because of the voting but was disappointed at the difficulty occasioned by the BVAS.

    Another septuagenarian, Mrs Ronke Fayankimi, stated that she and other affected voters would continue to wait, to see if the BVAS would  capture their faces.

  • Allegations of BVAS smuggling in Edo baseless, unsubstantiated – INEC

    Allegations of BVAS smuggling in Edo baseless, unsubstantiated – INEC

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked the allegations of BVAS machine smuggling in Edo, describing it as baseless, unsubstantiated and without merit.

    NAN reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had, in a petition to INEC on Oct. 10, alleged that PDP members had smuggled BVAS machines and voter registers into INEC’s office in Benin.

    However, in a statement in Benin on Friday, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, said that the commission had completed its investigation into the allegations and found it to be baseless, unsubstantiated and without merit.

    Onuoha reassured the public that at no time were BVAS machines or voter registers compromised or unlawfully accessed by any political party or external party.

    He said that INEC remained fully committed to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.

    “Recognising the seriousness of these claims, the commission conducted its investigation with the highest level of rigour, professionalism and impartiality.

    “As an institution tasked with ensuring free, fair and credible elections, INEC will not tolerate any form of malpractice.

    “The integrity of all electoral materials, including BVAS, remains fully intact and secure,” he said.

    Onuoha stated that in compliance with a recent court order, INEC was ready to facilitate the inspection of election materials and would ensure transparency in the handling of the BVAS machines and adherence to the rule of law.

    He urged all political parties to cooperate during the inspection process.

    The REC also advised political actors to focus on strengthening democratic principles and avoid actions that could erode public confidence in the electoral system.

    He said that the commission remained steadfast in its commitment to neutrality and excellence in electoral administration, and ensuring credible outcomes in all elections.

  • INEC denies obstructing inspection of BVAS, election materials in Edo

    INEC denies obstructing inspection of BVAS, election materials in Edo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo, has denied obstructing any political party from inspecting election materials and BVAS machines used for the just concluded governorship election.

    In a statement in Benin on Wednesday, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, said that the allegations of obstructing the inspection of materials were baseless, misleading, and devoid of truth.

    NAN reports that the PDP and its candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo had accused INEC of not obeying a court order granting the inspection of the election materials.

    Onuoha explained that the commission in furtherance to its commitment had fixed Wednesday for the inspection of the materials at its headquarters in Benin.

    “The attention of INEC and my office has been drawn to certain unfounded allegations suggesting that I have refused political parties and their representatives’ access to inspect the BVAS devices and other election materials used during the recent elections.

    “We wish to categorically state that these allegations are baseless, misleading, and completely devoid of truth.

    “INEC under my leadership in Edo, remains committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and integrity of all electoral processes,” he said .

    Onuoha noted that the inspection of election materials was the fundamental right of all political parties involved in election petitions, adding that it was a process that INEC was mandated by law to facilitate.

    He explained that at no time did he or any official in his office obstructed or denied any political party or their representatives’ access to inspect the materials used in the last election.

    “INEC is fully aware of the legal implications of such actions, and we are dedicated to supporting the lawful processes that enable parties to seek redress in the courts.

    “In furtherance of this commitment, I wish to inform the public that the inspection of the election materials, including the BVAS devices, has been formally scheduled for Wednesday (Today), at of the INEC Headquarters in Benin.

    “All political parties and their representatives are invited to participate in this exercise, as per the legal procedures, to ensure transparency and adherence to the rule of law, ” he added.

    He assured political parties and their candidates seeking to inspect the materials of unhindered access provided they follow the proper procedures as outlined by the election petition tribunal and relevant legal frameworks.

    According to him, it is therefore, unfortunate that these baseless accusations have been circulated without any evidence or proper engagement with my office.

    “I urge all stakeholders and the general public to disregard such misinformation. As a Commission, our loyalty remains to the Nigerian people, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

    “INEC as an institution, stands for transparency, and we are fully committed to ensuring that the electoral process is free, fair, and accountable.”

    The REC also encouraged parties wishing to engage with his office regarding the inspection of materials to do so through the appropriate legal channels.

    He assured them of his full cooperation.

  • Why we will not use BVAS for Anambra LG election – ANSIEC

    Why we will not use BVAS for Anambra LG election – ANSIEC

    The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) says it would not use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), for the Local Government elections on September 28.

    Mr Anthony Nnalue, Commissioner in charge of Information and Logistics, ANSIEC, made the disclosure at a sensitisation programme organised by the International Peace and Civil Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), on Thursday in Awka.

    The programme was organised for accredited election observers and media personnel.

    Nnalue said that the BVAS was unreliable following disappointing performance of the device in previous elections in the country. He said the commission would deploy manual accreditation, saying that it was more reliable.

    “We will not use BVAS but manual. BVAS is not reliable; it has distorted the electoral process in Nigeria. We do not want a situation where election results are tampered,” he said.

    Nnalue also assured early arrival of election materials, saying the era of delayed arrival of material was over in the state. He said that non sensitive materials were already on the way to the local government councils and 5,720 ad-hoc staff have been trained to conduct the elections across the state’s polling units.

    ”We are fully prepared and ready for the Saturday election, in terms of security, materials and other logistics.

    “Elections will not be held in Nnewi South, Orumba South and Idemili South. Voters from those areas will be voting at the council headquarters. We do not want to risk the lives of both officers and voters.

    “We urge the electorate to come out en masse and vote, your vote will count,” he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Chris Azor, Coordinator of IPCRC, urged politicians and electorate to be vigilant and shun vote buying, violence, gender discrimination, and over-voting.

    Azor called on security agencies to maintain neutrality while respecting human rights and the rule of law. He also announced that the organisation would establish a Situation Room in Awka for real-time coordination and reporting.

    “As accredited observers, we are committed to ensuring a free, fair, credible, and peaceful local government election in Anambra state,” he said.

  • Credibility of election not dependent on uploading results – INEC

    Credibility of election not dependent on uploading results – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its position that the electoral laws in Nigeria do not say that the credibility of an election depends on the upload of results sheet to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, maintained this position in Abuja on Friday while presenting a paper titled: “Role of Media and INEC Social Media Platforms in Democratic Elections”.

    Oyekanmi in his presentation advised Nigerians to understand INEC and the election result management process, especially how the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal work.

    He recalled how some INEC members of staff were detained and beaten during the 2023 general elections because BVAS could not transmit election results to IREV due to network challenges.

    “The truth of the matter is that our laws do not say that the credibility of an election depends on the upload of results sheet to that portal.

    “The fact is that network issues can happen because the entire country is not covered 100 per cent. So, if you don’t have network in a particular area, INEC has made provision for offline upload of results.

    “So, even if the presiding officer sends and it doesn’t go, it goes offline. When he moves from that polling unit, before it gets to the collation centre, anywhere the network hits that device, it will send it.

    “But many Nigerians do not know. Today, the inability of the BVAS to upload is akin to breaking the election,” he said.

    Oyekanmi said journalists covering elections should be responsible for the promotion of credible elections and fostering the nation’s peace and unity by adhering to the code of conduct guiding elections reportage.

    He advised journalists to be sensitive to the implications of their reports on elections. According to him, when journalists fail to be sensitive to the implications of their reports, it could cause a breach of peace.

    “This will put the lives of their colleagues, electoral officers, and other citizens in danger. We need peace and stability for the election to take place at the time that we want it to take place. We also need peace and stability for us to collate the results and announce the overall results.

    “The media also has the responsibility to counter misinformation and fake news. This is very important. There are so many organisations now, thankfully, into fact-checking. I think, as journalists, we also have the responsibility of devising our means of fact-checking what people say to us,” Oyekanmi said.

    He urged journalists to equip themselves with the Electoral Act 2022, the INEC Regulations and Guidelines, as well as the aspects of the 1999 Constitution relating to INEC and elections. Oyekanmi advised Nigerians and the media to follow the commission on its various social media platforms to access quality service.

    “INEC will continue to take advantage of social media platforms to proactively disseminate information about electoral activities, plans, and policies. The commission will use the platforms to engage more with stakeholders and citizens moving forward. The fight against fake news, misinformation, and disinformation will be intensified,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Mr Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commission and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), urged the media and the public to verify information related to the Edo governorship election directly with the commission before publishing the same.

    According to Olumekun, represented by the Director of Voter Education, Mrs Mary Nkem, the doors of the commission are open for enquiries amidst other multiple channels to secure accurate information.

    Olumekun says fake and misleading news, made easy by the advent of the digital age, poses so many dangers, especially during an election period.

    “Such information has the potential to disrupt the electoral process, undermine public confidence, and incite unnecessary tensions. The commission has taken proactive steps to combat this menace, part of which is to be open and transparent in all its dealings.

    “We have made it a culture to constantly update the public through you after every commission’s meeting when decisions are taken. We will intensify the information flow as we move closer to the Edo governorship election.

    “Measures have been put in place to minimise the circulation of false information. However, we cannot do this alone. We believe that you will remain a bulwark against fake and misleading information about the commission and the electoral process,” he said.

    Concerning media accreditation for the election, Olumekun said 122 organisations had applied for a total of 892 personnel.

  • Why INEC will not release BVAS for Oyo LG polls – Tella

    Why INEC will not release BVAS for Oyo LG polls – Tella

    Dr Adeniran Tella the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, said on Friday, that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, cannot be released to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, for the conduct of the local government elections scheduled for April 27.

    Tella made this known while speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the quarterly consultative meeting with civil society organisations in the state.

    According to Tella, BVAS contained sensitive data on voters, adding that it was the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that BVAS should not be released for local government elections.

    “What OYSIEC needs for the election is the voter register and this has been given to them. The voter register will allow the state electoral body to know the number of registered voters and those who are eligible to cast their votes during the elections.

    “But BVAS is meant for the general elections and they are sensitive devices that we can not afford to toy with,” he said.

    Tella, while addressing representatives of over 25 civil society organisations at the consultation meeting, reassured that INEC would continue to partner with them to enable them to play vital roles in ensuring free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible elections.

  • We will not release BVAS for Oyo LG elections – INEC

    We will not release BVAS for Oyo LG elections – INEC

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Dr Adeniran Tella, says Biomodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) can not be released to the State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) for conduct of the local government elections scheduled for April 27.

    Tella stated this on Friday in Ibadan while speaking on the sidelines of the quarterly consultative meeting with civil society organisations (CSOs) in the state.

    He said BVAS contained sensitive data on voters, adding that it was the decision of INEC that BVAS should not be released for local government elections.

    “What OYSIEC needs for the election is the voter register and this has been given to them.

    “The voter register will allow the state electoral body know the number of registered voters and those who are eligible to cast their votes during the elections.

    “But, BVAS is meant for the general elections and they are sensitive devices that we can not afford to toy with,” he said.

    Tella, while addressing representatives of the over 25 CSOs at the consultation meeting,
    re-assured that INEC would continue to partner with them to enable them to play vital roles in ensuring free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible elections.

    “This partnership will further strengthen democracy and enhance public trust in the electoral system.

    “This is especially in the areas of voter education and awareness; election monitoring and observation; advocacy and election reform; voter registration; capacity building; civil engagement and participation,” he said.

    The REC described the meeting as historic and unique, as it was the first of its kind to be organised at the state level.

    He recalled that the commission, at its headquarters in Abuja, had held a consultative meeting with CSOs on Oct. 25, 2023, where it was agreed that quarterly consultative meetings should also be held with those at the state level.

    He explained that the meeting at the state level was aimed at ensuring regular interactions between INEC and CSOs at the state level.

    He commended the dedication, support, commitment and understanding of the CSOs in the last general elections in the state.

    Tella equally appreciated the observations and recommendations contained in their reports on the elections.

    He said that some of the reforms and innovations introduced by the commission over the years were drawn from the observation reports by the CSOs.

    Tella, however, implored the accredited CSOs/observers to submit copies of their reports on the 2023 general elections to the state office of INEC, as they did at the headquarters in Abuja.

    He also reminded those who had yet to submit their observation reports to do so, as it was mandatory, being one of the conditions for eligibility to observe future elections.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebola Hamzat, representative of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), Mr Idowu Ayomade, and his NSCDC counterpart, Mr Timothy Oladeji, were present at the consultative meeting.