Eligible voters showed out in huge numbers yesterday to participate in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) fake accreditation exercise in Kano.
Before the general elections, INEC conducted a nationwide mock accreditation operation to evaluate the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
INEC deployed ad hoc staff and approximately 48 BVAS machines in Kano for the exercise, which began at 9 a.m. at six wards in 12 polling units across six local councils spread across three senatorial districts.
The activity was held in Dorayi primary schools (014) PU and (015) PU in Kano central, both in Dorayi ward, Gwale local government. The activity was held in Naibawa elementary school (015) PU and (050) PU in Naibawa ward, Kumbotso council area, which is still under Kano central.
Similarly, accreditation was carried out in Kano North at Hagagawa elementary schools (008) and (009) PU in Bichi ward, Bichi local government. The activity was held at Dawanau ward in Dawanau cikin Gari (08) PU and Bagadawa saiji (031) PU in Dawakin-Tofa local council.
At 10.05 a.m., when The Guardian visited Dorayi primary (014) PU and ((015) PU, Dorayi ward, electors flocked out to participate and possibly test the legitimacy of the new election machine.
Babangida Falalu, the electoral officer of Gwale Local Council, stated that the seven BVAS machines deployed for the two PUs have validated INEC’s confidence in conducting credible elections.
The success of the mock accreditation exercise in Abia State demonstrated INEC’s readiness to conduct credible general elections.
INEC staff at the polling locations validated reports of the exercise’s success in Aba and Umuahia.
Professor Ike Uzochukwu, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who spoke after observing the exercise with the INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye, characterized the exercise as smooth and encouraging.
The REC told journalists in his office on Friday that about 200,000 PVCs were yet to be collected in the state and asked those affected to do so before today’s deadline.
