With less than 28 days remaining until the general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Friday that it will conduct a mock accreditation of registered voters on February 4, in 436 polling units across the country. This information was shared by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja. He explained that the commission has received the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for the election, which have been tested for functionality. Consequently, the mock accreditation is necessary, similar to the exercises conducted during the recent governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
Yakubu indicated that 12 polling units have been designated in each state of the federation, along with four in the Federal Capital Territory, ensuring representation across the country’s 109 senatorial districts. He stated, “As you are already aware, the commission has taken delivery of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines for the election. We have also dutifully tested each machine in our offices nationwide to ensure its functionality. The next step is to conduct field tests across the country involving actual voters.” He emphasized that the mock accreditation will take place on Saturday, February 4, 2023, in the specified polling units.
A comprehensive list of the polling units, including their names, PU Code numbers, and distribution by state, senatorial district, local government, and registration area (ward), will soon be uploaded to the commission’s website. The commission urges registered voters in the selected polling units to attend on the scheduled date with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the mock exercise. This participation will help reassure the public of the robustness of the system and strengthen the processes ahead of the general election. Civil society organizations, the media, and the general public are invited to observe the process. After the exercise, the 436 BVAS machines involved will be reconfigured before their deployment for the general election.
Yakubu also reported that the movement of materials for the election is progressing nationwide. He stated, “I am glad to report that the movement of materials for the election to various locations nationwide is being concluded. Training of officials will commence shortly, and ongoing consultations with stakeholders will be intensified. The airlifting and delivery of sensitive materials to the states has advanced significantly.” He added that the accreditation of national and international observers and the media is nearing completion, and critical service providers in transportation have assured the commission of their commitment to efficient logistics for the movement of materials and personnel. Security agencies have also reaffirmed their readiness for the election.
Regarding the collection of Permanent Voter Cards, Yakubu acknowledged that there are still some issues to address. He expressed encouragement by the determination of registered voters nationwide to collect their PVCs, noting the actual collection levels thus far. For example, in Lagos State, which has the highest number of registered voters in the country, the commission delivered 940,200 PVCs from the recent voter registration exercise (June 2021 to July 2022) for both new registrants and requests for transfers and replacements. As of Thursday, January 26, 2023, 839,720 PVCs had been collected, representing 89.3% of the total figure.
This meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners will consider reports from other states, and the commission is prepared to implement additional measures to ensure that all citizens have ample opportunity to collect their PVCs ahead of the general elections. Yakubu assured Nigerians that the commission will always be responsive to the needs of the electorate.
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