The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that a mock election will be held in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states on October 14, 2023. This will serve as a preparation exercise for the upcoming governorship elections on November 11.
Sam Olumekun, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, stated in a press release that a maximum of three polling units in each Senatorial District have been identified across the three states. This totals to nine Senatorial Districts and 27 polling units in all. The details of these polling units, including their locations by Local Government Area (LGA), Registration Area (RA)/Ward, Delimitation Code, and number of registered voters, have been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms.
The mock election will be conducted simultaneously to gather insights and improve the overall election process. Lessons learned from this exercise will be employed to ensure a seamless voting experience on Election Day.
Olumekun stated, “The Commission met on Monday, September 25, 2023, and reviewed the preparations for the forthcoming off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States. As was the case in recent off-cycle governorship elections, the Commission will conduct a mock accreditation using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and upload polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The test run will take place simultaneously in the three States on Saturday, October 14, 2023, from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm.”
Registered voters in the selected polling units are urged to participate in the mock election by bringing their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to the exercise. It is important to note that the mock election is solely a test accreditation exercise and not the actual election.
