The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) encountered significant technical difficulties during its mock accreditation exercise in Osun State on Saturday, as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines failed in several designated polling units. The malfunction disrupted the exercise and has raised fresh concerns about the commission's readiness for the upcoming governorship election.
The drill, which was held across 12 local government areas spanning the state's three senatorial districts, commenced in the morning as prospective voters presented their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). However, less than an hour after the delayed start, the BVAS devices reportedly stopped recognising fingerprints, facial features and PVC details, bringing accreditation to a halt at the affected centres.
The delayed start, which pushed the exercise behind schedule, was compounded by the system breakdown, leaving many voters stranded as they waited for the technology to be restored. At some polling units, accreditation was suspended indefinitely while technicians worked on the devices.
INEC engineers work to restore BVAS devices
Technical personnel from INEC were immediately deployed to the affected polling units in an effort to restore the system. The Public Relations Officer of the Osun State INEC office, Dayo Olurode, confirmed the development to reporters, stating that the commission's engineers are working to rectify the devices. Olurode did not provide an immediate explanation for the cause of the malfunction.
According to INEC, the mock exercise was designed to simulate election-day procedures and evaluate the functionality of the BVAS ahead of the governorship election scheduled for 15 August. No voting was conducted during the exercise, as it was purely an accreditation test.
Civil society groups question INEC's preparedness
Observers and civil society organisations expressed concern over the glitch, arguing that a failure during a controlled test could undermine public confidence in the electoral process if not swiftly addressed.
The Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens (CCNC), in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Raufu Sodiq, said the malfunction raised critical questions about INEC's preparedness. “A mock exercise is meant to inspire confidence. It is the dress rehearsal before the main performance. But what we witnessed today is not reassuring. It is alarming,” the group said.
The coalition warned that similar technical failures on election day could disenfranchise voters and cast doubt on the credibility of the outcome. It called on INEC to publicly explain the cause of the malfunction, disclose contingency plans, and replace any faulty devices before the actual poll.
Voter registration and BVAS configuration
The incident comes as INEC intensifies preparations for one of the country's most closely watched off-cycle governorship elections. The commission had earlier announced that voter registration in Osun increased from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233, reflecting the addition of more than 384,000 new voters.
INEC also disclosed that 322,822 newly registered voters, about 62 per cent of that group, had collected their PVCs following the extension of the collection exercise. Previously registered voters have also been collecting replacement and transferred cards.
In terms of logistics, INEC said it had configured all 3,763 BVAS devices required for polling, with 1,328 backup machines reserved for contingencies. Sensitive materials have been secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Osogbo, while training of ad hoc staff commenced on 31 July. These measures, however, did not prevent the disruption witnessed on Saturday.
High-stakes governorship contest
The glitch is likely to increase scrutiny of INEC's preparations as political parties and observers closely monitor the commission. The 15 August governorship election is expected to be fiercely contested by incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and candidates of 12 other political parties.
