2023: APC Chairman Expresses Doubt over BVAS, Electronic Transmission of Results

2023: APC Chairman Expresses Doubt over BVAS, Electronic Transmission of Results

By Kabir Akintayo

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has expressed worry over the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the 2023 election.

Adamu said the promise of transmission of election results in real time may not also be possible especially in remote villages, where they have network challenges.

The APC chairman, said this during a visit by the Commonwealth Delegation to the party secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said “first, I was privileged to serve as a senator …. our concern is how ready are we to deploy some of these technologies as regards transmission because we are taking a major step in transmitting election results in real time. To transmit results, every part of the nation Nigeria I’m not sure that the network covers it, I know that even in parts of Abuja there is no network and we have from now till February when in substantial parts of the country there is no electricity.

“INEC must assure us 100 percent that as at when due in transmitting results they are ready because they spoke about recharging batteries but we had in previous elections when it says it can’t recharge.”

The Commonwealth delegation, paid a visit to Adamu, to advocate for free, fair and credible process for the 2023 general elections.

The leader of the delegation and political adviser Commonwealth Secretariat, Lindiwe Maleleka, said “we are here on a pre-election assessment mission, a chance to meet with all major stakeholders involved in the election. We have interacted with civil society organizations, political parties, senior government officials and media representatives as well. It is an opportunity to understand the preparation for the election irrespective of what status . Based on these perspectives we will submit a report to the commonwealth secretary general who will then decide to deploy observers for the election on behalf of the Commonwealth secretariat. This is why we are here to interact with you, tap your perspective and the preparation for the election.

“We note the reforms that have been introduced in the lead up to this election: the electoral act, 2022, the new technologies which were introduced and I believe was tested in the Osun and Ekiti elections. We want to get your views about the new reforms in the build up to the next general elections because we are aware it will be rolled out for the election in February.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in 2021 introduced the use of BVAS designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters, using the voters’ fingerprints.