Mock accreditation: Low turnout, BVAS functioning well

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.

Correspondents 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.”

Newsmen 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.”