ANSIEC Rules Out BVAS for Anambra Local Government Elections, Citing Reliability Concerns

The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has announced that it will not be utilizing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the upcoming Local Government elections scheduled for September 28, 2024. This decision comes amid concerns about the reliability of the technology, particularly in the context of the local elections.

This announcement was made by Anthony Nnalue, the Commissioner in charge of Information and Logistics for ANSIEC, during a sensitization program organized by the International Peace and Civil Responsibility Centre (IPCRC) in Awka on Thursday. Nnalue emphasized that while BVAS has been employed in other elections, its reliability remains questionable for the specific context of the local government elections in Anambra. According to him, the commission’s priority is to ensure a smooth, efficient, and accurate electoral process, and as such, they have opted against using the BVAS system.

The BVAS system, which has been widely used in previous elections to verify voters’ identities by capturing fingerprints and facial recognition, was initially praised for its capacity to enhance the credibility of the voting process by reducing incidents of fraud. However, challenges such as network issues, technical glitches, and its perceived unreliability in rural areas may have led ANSIEC to opt for a different approach.

Nnalue further reassured voters that ANSIEC is committed to conducting a transparent and fair election. He urged citizens to participate in the election process and emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and civil responsibility throughout the voting period.

This decision may raise concerns among some voters and election observers who have supported the use of BVAS as a means to enhance electoral transparency. However, ANSIEC remains confident that their alternative methods will ensure the accuracy and integrity of the local government elections.

As the election date approaches, both ANSIEC and civil society organizations continue their efforts to educate voters about the electoral process and ensure a peaceful and credible election.