The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deploy more than 5,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for the upcoming Edo State governorship election, scheduled for September 21, 2024.
A senior INEC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the commission is taking extensive measures to ensure a smooth and efficient electoral process across the state’s 4,519 polling units and 211 collation centers. These include 192 ward centers, 18 local government centers, and the state collation center in Benin City.
“More than 5,000 BVAS devices will be deployed for the Edo State governorship election,” the official confirmed.
INEC has also scheduled a mock voter accreditation exercise for September 10, 2024, in Edo State. This exercise aims to test the deployment of the BVAS devices and the electronic result upload process to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, ensuring the system’s readiness for the election.
Additionally, the commission disclosed that the installation and configuration of the BVAS machines to be used on election day have been completed, marking a significant step in the preparations for the election.
The deployment of these machines is part of INEC’s broader effort to enhance transparency and credibility in the electoral process, particularly through the use of technology.