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No going back on use of BVAS for 2023 elections- Prof. Yakubu

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By Odunewu Olusegun

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is committed to the deployment of the bimodal voter registration system (BVAS) for the 2023 elections.

Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave the assurance while delivering a keynote address at the 6th annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) on Thursday at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Speaking on the conference theme: “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome,” Prof. Yakubu reiterated INEC’s commitment at conducting a free and fair elections comes 2023, and is ready to deploy necessary technology to achieve this.

“Votes will continue to count and will be the sole determinant of electoral outcome. For this reason, the Commission has introduced many new innovations, supported by the deployment of appropriate technology, to protect the sanctity of the choice made by Nigerians at the polls ranging from voter registration to voter accreditation and result management.

READ ALSOINEC Chairman assures of improving electoral logistics, election administration in 2023

“The deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) with its dual fingerprint and facial biometric accreditation process has ensured that only genuine voters are accredited to vote during election. This has curtailed the incidence of multiple voting and other sharp practices associated with voter accreditation during elections.

“We cannot, under any circumstances, go back in the use of BVAS for the purpose of voter accreditation and we can’t also go back on the issue of transmitting polling unit level results into our INEC result viewing portal.

“These two mechanisms and protocols are sacrosanct and the commission is committed to using them during the 2023 general election.”

He added that Nigerians have accepted the use of BVAS and that the commission will not relent on its commitment to improve the electoral process via technology.

“Aside from these features, polling unit results will be uploaded in real time to our server. Nigeria is the first country in Africa that will be doing this.

“I want to also let you know that conducting an election in Nigeria is like conducting elections for the whole of Africa because of the population involved. Electorates in the whole of West Africa excluding Nigeria is 73 million, whereas in Nigeria, we have 95 million registered voters.

READ ALSOINEC reveals amounts PDP, APC spent in 2019 election, breaching Electoral Act’s limit

Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Umar Ardo, Founder, Centre for Alternative Policy Perspectives and Strategy (CAPPS), stated that the media has a critical role to play in the 2023 general elections.

He charges GOCOP to help tackle the issue of fake news which he described as a threat to national security.

“The new media must help create a conducive environment through unbiased dissemination of information to the general public while shunning sensationalism,” he added.

Earlier in her welcome address, President of GOCOP, Maureen Chigbo said the conference theme was aptly at this particular time because general elections is less than four months away.

She assured INEC and other stakeholders that GOCOP is committed to the project, and will help in informing the Nigerians of all activities of INEC at ensuring a free, fair and credible election.

 

 

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday insisted that there is no going back on the use of  bimodal voter registration system (BVAS) for the 2023 elections.
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave the assurance while delivering a keynote address at the 6th annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) on Thursday at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking on the conference theme: “2023 Elections: Managing The Process For Credible Outcome,” Prof. Yakubu reiterated INEC’s commitment at conducting a free and fair elections comes 2023, and ready to deploy necessary technology to achieve this.
“Votes will continue to count and will be the sole determinant of electoral outcome. For this reason, the Commission has introduced many new innovations, supported by the deployment of appropriate technology, to protect the sanctity of the choice made by Nigerians at the polls ranging from voter registration to voter accreditation and result management.
“The deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) with its dual fingerprint and facial biometric accreditation process has ensured that only genuine voters are accredited to vote during election. This has curtailed the incidence of multiple voting and other sharp practices associated with voter accreditation during elections.
“We cannot, under any circumstances, go back in the use of BVAS for the purpose of voter accreditation and we can’t also go back on the issue of transmitting polling unit level results into our INEC result viewing portal.
“These two mechanisms and protocols are sacrosanct and the commission is committed to using them during the 2023 general election.”
He added that Nigerians have accepted the use of BVAS and that the commission will not relent on its commitment to improve the electoral process via technology.
” Aside from these features, polling unit results will be uploaded in real time to our server. Nigeria is the first country in Africa that will be doing this.
“I want to also let you know that conducting an election in Nigeria is like conducting elections for the whole of Africa because of the population involved. Electorates in the whole of West Africa excluding Nigeria is 73 million, whereas in Nigeria, we have 95 million registered voters.
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Umar Ardo, Founder, Centre for Alternative Policy Perspectives and Strategy ( CAPPS), stated that the media has a critical role to play in the 2023 general elections.
He charges GOCOP to help tackle the issue of fake news which he described as a threat to national security.
“The new media must help create a conducive environment through unbiased disemination of information to the general public while shunning sensationalism,” he added.
Earlier in her welcome address, President of GOCOP, Maureen Chigbo said the conference theme was aptly at this particular time because general elections is less than four months away.
She assured INEC and other stakeholders that GOCOP is committed to the project, and will help in informing the Nigerians of all activities of INEC at ensuring a free, fair and credible election.

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