By Akinwale Kasali
Political Parties, Civil Societies Organizations, Non Governmental organizations and Political Observers have showered encomiums on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for a hitch free mock accreditation exercise of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, that took place in Lagos State over the weekend.
The Mock Accreditation Exercise in 12 Polling Units across Six Local Government areas in Lagos State saw a huge turnout of NGOs, CSOs, Political Parties and electorates who came out to witness the exercise.
The Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, who led the monitoring exercise was impressed with the hitch free exercise that was a success and the huge turnout.
Speaking to newsmen after the exercise, he said that the functionality of BVAS in accrediting intending voters was another test that INEC was ready for the forthcoming elections.
Agbaje said: “We have been to six stations, two each in Surulere, Somolu and Ikeja LGAs.
“So far, the machines are working effectively and there is no challenge or problem, and people have confirmed this.
“The essence of this is to show our people that BVAS will work. If politicians will allow us to do our work, we will work effectively.
“We don’t want politicians to compromise our staff in bypassing BVAS. So far, we have not seen any problem. If the finger fails, the face works well for accreditation of all that turned out.
“What we need to know is that these machines can effectively accredit our voters and that has been tested in all the six stations we have visited, and I am more than satisfied that INEC is ready to go.
According to the REC, within one or two minutes, voters who turned our got accredited through BVAS.
Agbaje stressed that it would be difficult for the BVAS to be faulty because they were all new, as the Commission had backups to arrest unforeseen circumstances.
He urged political gladiators not to connive with any INEC staff to bypass the workings of BVAS and vote illegally.
Agbaje added that BVAS’ work was basically to accredit voters before they would be eligible to vote on election day.
“BVAS is to improve people’s confidence in what INEC is doing because this is just like a game changer. If compromised and there is over-voting in any polling unit, the whole vote in such unit will be cancelled.
“So, all of them must work together with INEC to be honest and to be sincere. If we are honest and sincere with ourselves, the system will give us good results.”
Explaining BVAS bypass, Agbaje said that some politicians could connive with INEC staff to smuggle printed ballot into the box without passing through accreditation.
He said that results of those places would be cancelled if noticed through over-voting.
Agbaje said that INEC would also put its house in order and not send to the field any staff that could embarrass the commission.
“Anyone caught conniving with politicians to bypass BVAS will face the consequences,” he said.
Stephen Aya, an observer from the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria in Ikeja, commended INEC’s efforts at making elections more credible, however, urging politicians to cooperate with the electoral body.
During the monitoring exercise, the INEC Team visited Polling Unit 035, Ward 2 located at Enitan Primary School, Aguda, and Polling Unit 019, Ward 7 located at Rabiatu Thompson Crescent Primary School, Shitta/Ogunlana in Surulere LGA.
The team also monitored the exercise at Polling Unit 040, Ward 5 located at Omo Alade Alafia Street, Mafowoku and Polling Unit 015, Ward 8 located at Ogatimirin Street, Igbobi-Fadeyi in Somolu LGA.
Agbaje’s team was also at Polling Unit 010, Ward 1 located at the front of 5, Abeokuta Street, Anifowose/Ikeja and Polling Unit 017, Ward 10 located at the Junction of Irewole/Joseph Street, Wasimi/Opebi/Allen in Ikeja LGA.
The mock accreditation exercise also took place in Ikorodu, Eti-Osa and Agege LGAs.
