…Set To Test BVAS Credibility, Functionality
By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
As part of it’s preparation ahead of the forthcoming 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is set to conduct a mock accreditation exercise with the Biomodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, to enable it technically evaluate the device in Cross River State.
Speaking on the issue, the Head of Voter Education of INEC in Cross River State, Anthonia Nwobi, who revealed this to newsmen on Wenesday during an interactive session, stressed that the mock accreditation exercise, which has been scheduled to hold across the three senatorial districts of the state would assist the commission test the credibility of the BVAS.
She maintained that the exercise, which would help to test viabilities of both hard and software jas been scheduled for between February 4 and February 11, 2023, and shall take place in 12 selected polling units across six local government areas in the state.
According to INEC’s statement issued in Cross River State on February 1, 2023, and signed by Nwobi, the exercise will help to ascertain the functionality of BVAS in the field.
The statement added, “The exercise will commence at 8:00am and close at 2:00pm. Only registered voters with the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, in the respective polling units would be eligible to participate in the mock accreditation.”
INEC therefore appealed to registered voters to abide by instructions of officials deployed for the exercise for a successful outcome.
The commission also solicited for peaceful and orderly conduct in and around the period of the mock accreditation exercise, and assurred residents of the state of peaceful and credible outcome of the exercise and promised to share the outcome of the exercise with members of the public.
In a related development, the Commission also rescheduled it’s planned interactive session with the leadership of 17 political parties, security agencies and stakeholders operating in the state.
The interactive session was rescheduled for February 7, 2023, following low turnout of participants at the earlier meeting.
