2023: Have Confidence in BVAS to Vote, INEC Tells Bauchi Electorates

Nasir Shuaibu, BAUCHI

The National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Modibbo Abubakar Alkali (Rtd) has told the electorates to have confidence in the Biomodel Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to vote in the State. 

The Retired Army Officer who is in charge of Bauchi, Borno, and Yobe gave the assurance while inspecting and supervising the mock accreditation exercise in three senatorial zones in the State. 

According to him, said that the BVAS machine is working and functioning very excellently in the selected polling units so far visited during the mock accreditation exercise in Bauchi and Darazo local government areas.

He noted that despite the low turnout of voters in some polling units, the overall exercise is commendable and satisfactory because people were still expecting to come out before the closing hours of 2:30 pm the day. 

Alkali, also commended the INEC for introducing the Biomodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), saying that the "Machine is working faster and more smoothly in capturing the electorate's fingerprint in less than one-two minute without any waste of time."  

He advised the women to avoid putting henna on their hands at least a week before Election Day to enable the machine to dictate their fingerprints. 

He, however, calls on the general public to always channel their compliance to the INEC offices closer to them and join hands together with the Commission in sensitization the general public, especially at the grassroots level on the importance of the exercise. 

"Electorate should have confidence and have confidence on the VBAS they should come out to vote and their votes will going to be counted because the whole process is very fair and transparent."

"We've seen how the electorates came out in mass to exercise their civic responsibilities and demonstrate their support for the mock accreditation exercise in most places visited. 

IN an interview with some of the electorates at Majidadi ward, Ajiyari Primary School in Bauchi, and Darazo local governments Murjanatu Muhammad and Abdullahi Adamu express their confidence in the BVAS machine, saying that "We now believe that our votes will count this time around because In the BVAS has given us confidence in the process."

They, however, commended the INEC and federal government for introducing the use of the BVAS in the forthcoming 2023 general elections in the Country. 

Our corresponding reports that the exercise is to test-run the BVAS machine to ascertain and ensure its capability before the 2023 general election in the Country.