INEC Releases Centres for BVAS Mock Accreditation Exercise in Delta

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Delta State, would on Saturday conduct mock accreditation with the B-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in Delta State.

The exercise is in furtherance of the technical evaluation of the BVAS device as part of preparations for the 2023 general elections.

The Acting Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC Delta State, Mr. Bukola Ojeme, noted in a statement yesterday.

Ojeme recalled that the commission had earlier in January this year “successfully carried out the first technical evaluation of about 6,000 pieces of BVAS delivered to INEC in Delta State so as to ascertain the viability of both the hard and software.

However, the mock accreditation exercise or test-running of the BVAS, which will hold in 12 selected polling units across three senatorial districts and six local government areas, “is, therefore, a step further in ascertaining its functionality on the field.”

The exercise is scheduled to take place between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and only registered voters with the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the respective polling units are eligible to participate in the mock accreditation.

The statement, which listed the locations of the respective polling units, further stated that “the commission appeals to Deltans, particularly participating registered voters, to abide by instructions of officials deployed for the exercise for a successful outcome.

“The commission further appeal for peaceful and orderly conduct in and around the precinct of the mock accreditation exercise, while also assuring that the outcome of the exercise will be shared with the public.”

Nevertheless, INEC urged registrants who are yet to collect their PVCs to take advantage of the extension of deadline to February 5, 2023, to visit the commission’s local government area office where they registered to vote to obtain their PVCs.