INEC Mock Accreditation Exercise Witness Low Turnout In Abuja, Lagos
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) mock accreditation has begun on Saturday by available voters both in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Lagos state respectively.
The reason for the mock accreditation, according to INEC chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, is to test the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) machines for the February 25, 2023, elections across the country.
Yakubu said the commission had taken delivery of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines for the election, which had been tested to ensure their functionality, hence the need to conduct a mock accreditation of voters as done in the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
The INEC chairman also noted that 12 polling units had been designated in each state of the federation and four in the Federal Capital Territory on the equality of the country’s 109 senatorial districts for the exercise.
Punch reports that its correspondent visited one of the four designated polling units, Bwari Sarki in Bwari Ward in Bwari Area Council, on Saturday, observed that there was a low turnout of registered voters as of the time of filing this report.
The Assistant Presiding Officer, George Abedo, who spoke to our correspondent said voters are not aware of the mock exercise.
Abedo said, “There is really a low turnout of voters. Maybe voters are not aware of this exercise. So far, 28 voters have been verified.”
Our correspondent watched as the BVAS captured the fingerprints and faces of registered voters without any issue.
In another polling unit, Phase I/Site I, in Usuma Ward in Bwari, there was still low voter turnout.
Speaking to our correspondent, the INEC official who spoke in anonymity said, “You saw us telling some people to go back home. This is because we were instructed to attend to those whose names start with A-D.
“To be honest, the turnout is low.”
Speaking on the functionality of the BVAS, she said, “The BVAS is working very well. Those who came here just as you saw earlier were allowed to vote.
“The BVAS verified their Permanent Voter Cards and got their image and the pictures came out clearly.”
Punch
