The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the success of the mock accreditation with the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine proves that it is efficient.
The BVAS is a technological device used to identify and accredit voters’ fingerprints and facial recognition before voting. The device is also used for capturing images of the polling unit result sheet (Form EC8A) and uploading the image of the result sheet online.
Speaking with newsmen after he visited some polling units in Abuja on Saturday, to observe the mock accreditation exercise ahead of the polls, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the exercise.
The mock accreditation began at exactly 8.00 am. Registered voters, who came early for the accreditation, spent less than two minutes completing the process.
Those who had challenges with fingerprints were easily captured using facial capturing.
Polling unit officers further said that the BVAS machines worked faster with facial capturing than finger capturing.
The INEC chairman, who went round Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), said he was optimistic about the performance of BVAS and that the goal of INEC during the ongoing mock accreditation was to ensure that the machines are working optimally before the general elections.
In his words, “What we intend to achieve is to further test the integrity of the machines we are going to deploy on election day. We are satisfied with the tests carried out in our office, but we needed to test the machines in the field ahead of the election.
“Bearing in mind that this is the first time we deployed the machines nationwide, so we have identified 436 polling units nationwide on the equality of tests of the Federation, based on two local governments per senatorial district, and four polling units by local government making a total of 16 polling units per state, based on which we have deployed the machines.
“So in the FCT, there are four polling units earmarked for the test. This is one of the polling units. The other one is the one we visited at the post office.
“And so far, so good voters have been verified using their PVCs and then authenticated, using their fingerprint or facial on the basis of which they will be given the ballot papers on election day after successful accreditation.
.“In the polling units visited so far, no report of failure. The machines performed optimally and this is the report we are getting nationwide, but we have also made contingency arrangements like we will do on election day, that there is a spare machine in case and in the unlikely event of a malfunction.
“We will be able to respond and fix the machines. But so far, so good. No incident, no failure, and we’re hoping and praying. Having worked very hard on February 25th and March 11th, the machines will also perform optimally.
“Well… you have seen so far. In this particular polling unit. The last person accredited in our presence took less than 30 seconds to accredit and this is the report we are getting from all the polling units nationwide. So the speed is good. And also the authentication is good.”
