Edo Guber: INEC Holds Mock Voter Accreditation September 10

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will hold mock accreditation of voters ahead of Edo State governorship election scheduled to hold on September 21, 2024.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement Tuesday, revealed that the mock accreditation would hold on September 10, 2024.

He said: “In continuation of preparations for the Edo State governorship election holding on Saturday, 21st September, 2024, the commission is test running the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result upload to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for the election using live voters in select locations in the state.

“For this purpose, the commission has designated 12 polling units across six local government areas (LGAs) covering the three senatorial districts of the state as centres for the mock accreditation.”

Olumekun added that in Edo Central, the exercise would take place in Eguare Primary School, Eguare 1, and Uwenujie Primary School, Uwenujie; in Esan Central LGA as well as Eguare Primary School 1, Ewohimi, and Eguare Okhuesan (Former L. A. School 1), Emu, in Esan South East LGA.

He stressed that in Edo North, Usokwi Iyogbe Azama Primary School, Yeluwa, and the polling unit at Institute of Continuing Education Road, Auchi would be used for the exercise; while in Etsako West LGA, the designated centres are Uhonmwora Owere Primary School, Uhonmwora-Ora; and Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongidda-Ora, would serve as centres in Owan West LGA.

The national commissioner noted that in Edo South, Western Boys’ High School 1 and Ologbosere Primary School 1 are the designated centres in Ikpoba Okha LGA, while Idia College I and Payne Primary School 1 would serve as centres for Oredo LGA.

Olumekun said: “The mock exercise will be held on Tuesday, 10th September, 2024 at the designated polling units from 8.30am to 2.30pm.

“A graphic image containing the names and locations of the centres has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.”

The commission appealed to registered voters to come out with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the exercise. 

The electoral body emphasised that only registered voters for the designated polling units are invited to participate in the exercise, adding that voters from another polling unit can be accredited by the BVAS.