BVAS ready for use in rerun election – Bauchi REC

Alhaji Mohammed B. Nura, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has expressed readiness for a rerun in 42 polling units across three affected local government areas in Bauchi State.

He disclosed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, has been configured and is ready to be used on election day.

The REC added that sensitive election materials such as ballot papers, result sheets and BVAS would be transported to the local government areas next week.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting held on Thursday at the Mahmoud Yakubu Conference Hall at the INEC office in Bauchi, he stated further that all non-sensitive election materials have been delivered ahead of the scheduled February 3, 2024, exercise.

According to him, all the materials have been distributed to the affected local government areas of Bauchi, Katagum, and Ningi.

His words: “You may recall that the Court of Appeal nullified the results of 42 polling units in the four State House of Assembly constituencies of Bauchi, Zungur/Galambi, Ningi and Madara/Chinade, within the three local government areas of Bauchi, Katagum and Ningi.

“All political parties that fielded candidates during the 2023 general election in these constituencies will participate in the rerun elections. Therefore, eligible voters must visit their polling units with their Permanent Voters Card, PVC, as there shall be no voting without PVC.

“So far, BVAS for all the polling units have been configured and ready to be used on election day, while our technical support staff will be at each polling unit to ensure the device works well.”

Nura added that all the materials have been batched into registration areas and polling units to ensure that no item for the elections is omitted.

He said further that at least 126 ad hoc personnel, mostly members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, who will work at the polling units, had been trained for the exercise.