2023: BVAS Deployed To 30 States, Usage Non Negotiable – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said there is no going back on the use of Bimodal Voter Automated System (BVAS) for the 2023 general election.

This is as INEC National Commissioner for Information, Festus Okoye stated that BVAS have been deployed to 30 states ahead of the 2023 elections.

Okoye revealed this on Thursday, while speaking during a workshop on election reporting organised by the Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation (CNFJ).

BVAS is a device introduced by INEC for the accreditation of voters through biometrics capturing, uploading of polling results and other functions.

The device has been described by stakeholders as a game-changer in the country’s electoral process.

However, some politicians and political parties have continuously criticised the effectiveness of the device.

Speaking on the development at the workshop, Okoye said no amount of protest can stop the usage in the 2023 election.

He added that the use of BVAS is stipulated in the Electoral Act 2022, adding that it will be deployed to all states of the federation before the end of December.

“I have said it and I want to repeat it, even if you protest from now till tomorrow against the BVAS the commission must deploy it,”Okoye said.

“I was in Lagos with the chairman last week and we went to the international wing of the airport, where the Nigerian Airforce were loading the BVAS meant for the states in the federation.

“As of today, we have already delivered to location BVAS for the conduct of elections for 30 states.

“Before the end of December, the BVAS for the conduct of elections for all the states of Nigeria will be where we want them to be.”