Mock accreditation conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission is currently ongoing in the Federal Capital Territory.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the commission had taken delivery of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines for the election which had been tested to ensure its functionality, hence the need to conduct a mock accreditation of voters as done in Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections.

The INEC chairman also noted that 12 polling units had been designated in each state of the federation and four in the Federal Capital Territory on the equality of the country’s 109 senatorial districts for the exercise.

Our correspondent who visited one of the four designated polling units, Bwari Sarki in Bwari Ward in Bwari Area Council on Saturday, observed that was a low turnout of registered voters as of the time of filing this report.

The Assistant Presiding Officer, George Abedo, who spoke to our correspondent said voters are not aware of the mock exercise.

Abedo said, “There is really a low turnout of voters. Maybe voters are not aware of this exercise. So far, 28 voters have been verified.”

Our correspondent watched as the BVAS captured the fingerprints and faces of registered voters without any issue.

In another polling unit, Phase I/Site I, in Usuma Ward in Bwari, there was still low voter turnout.

Speaking to our correspondent, the INEC official who spoke in anonymity said, “You saw us telling some people to go back home. This is because we were instructed to attend to those whose names start with A-D.

“To be honest, the turnout is low.”

Speaking on the functionality of the BVAS, she said, “The BVAS is working very well. Those who came here just as you saw earlier were allowed to vote.

“The BVAS verified their Permanent Voter Cards and got their image and the pictures came out clearly.”

Details later…

The mock accreditation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission has been marred by low turnout in major cities across Anambra State.

Our correspondent who visited some of the designated polling units in Onitsha, Obosi, Nnewi and Awka, on Saturday, observed low turnout of registered voters as of the time of filing this report.

Although, at some of the centres visited in Onitsha, Obosi and Awka, the INEC officials present said the Biomodal Voter Accreditation System used for the mock accreditation of voters were working seamlessly and perfectly.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had said the commission took the delivery of the BVAS machines for the election which had been tested to ensure its functionality, hence the need to conduct a mock accreditation of voters as done in Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections.

But residents of Onitsha, who came out for the exercise on Saturday, expressed displeasure on the lack of awareness on the exercise, insisting that the commission did not do enough to sensitise them.

But while speaking to our correspondent at one of the designated centres in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra, the INEC Assistant Electoral Officer, Reginald Onyeukwu, said the assurance that the ongoing mock accreditation was going on smoothly and satisfactory.

Onyeukwu said, “What we are doing is to test run our equipment which we are going to use for elections. There are two ways to accredit a voter, it is either finger print or facial.

“When you check at the people we are attending to, if their fingers failed, we used their face and the system will say accreditation pass.

“We are trying to test our system so that it would not fail us during election day. We want to prove to the people that we are capable of conducting credible, free and fair elections across the country.”

Speaking on the low turnout for the exercise, Onyeukwu insisted that the people were well informed through their local government chairmen, wondering why they did not turn up.

“We informed the local government chairmen, the local government Chairmen informed the town messengers to notify the people about the mock accreditation exercise.

“Our system is very fast, when we are done with them, they go, as I am talking to you now, we have accredited about 35 people here, the exercise is moving very fast. It does not waste time,” he added.

Speaking on the accreditation process, a resident, Josephine Uko, who commended the process, attributed the low turn out to the ongoing cash scarcity which has forced the people to keep vigil at the various bank automated teller machines centres.

Uko said, “The reason for the low turnout is because people are at the various bank ATM centres queuing and searching for cash. Many people are not aware that there is a mock accreditation exercise going on today.”

“The exercise is wrong timing, right now, what is paramount on the minds of the people is where they will get cash that has been made scarce in the past few weeks and this exercise is just not on our agenda right now.”

Our correspondent watched as the BVAS captured the fingerprints and faces of the few registered voters without any issue.

inoki247:
Lol we all know say na Noise we go still experience low turn out on election day....

Corrinthians:
What makes you say this? Mock exercise isn't the same as the main event.

inoki247:



Just wait make that day come first you will see for yourself the South will not show come out...

inoki247:
Lol we all know say na Noise we go still experience low turn out on election day....


Some are jus doing PVC for documentation sake....

dustmalik:
They better get this BVAS thing right, to avoid disenfranchising voters.

Jostoman:
I hope they will not go and add those ones to LP vote after loosing in Abuja and then go to court and say there is over Voting in LP party stronghold area in abuja because that smart man in rigging can outsmart INEC again.

Softmirror:


HABA! EVEN IF THEY ADD LP IS GOING NO WHERE. PETER OBI IS JUST WASTING HIS TIME.

Steph17:


Peter Obi is the next President of Nigeria sir

alimiadedayo1:
next president of your family's house

Steph17:


And yours too.

Jostoman:
I hope they will not go and add those ones to LP vote after loosing in Abuja and then go to court and say there is over Voting in LP party stronghold area in abuja because that smart man in rigging can outsmart INEC again.

alimiadedayo1:
not my Family's house cause we are not a fool like your family by allowing a sycophant to rule over us

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