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• It’s minor glitch – Amupitan
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
A civil society organization, the Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens (CCNC), has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide an immediate explanation regarding the widespread failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during yesterday’s mock accreditation exercise ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
The coalition expressed concern that the exercise, designed to test the commission’s operational readiness, suffered severe technical setbacks in selected polling units across the state, casting doubt on INEC’s preparedness for the upcoming poll.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Raufu Sodiq (popularly known as “Oluomo Success”), the group noted that while the exercise was scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., it experienced delays in several areas.
It noted that less than 40 minutes into the test, many BVAS devices reportedly failed to recognize fingerprints, facial features, and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), halting voter accreditation in the affected locations.
Describing the situation as deeply disturbing, the CCNC emphasized that a mock accreditation exercise should inspire public trust in the electoral process, rather than raise concerns about the commission’s competence.
The group argued that proper accreditation is the foundation of any credible election, as it verifies voter eligibility and safeguards electoral integrity.
It posited that any technical failure at this stage could severely damage public confidence in the final outcome if not addressed urgently.
The coalition questioned why such challenges occurred despite years of preparation and substantial public investment in electoral technology.
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Consequently, the group called on the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner and INEC’s national leadership to clarify the root cause of the malfunctions and outline preventative measures ahead of the August 15 election.
Specifically, the CCNC demanded that INEC clarify whether the glitches stemmed from software, hardware, or configuration issues.
It urged INEC to detail its contingency plans for the 3,763 polling units across Osun State and replace all faulty BVAS machines immediately.
The group also urged INEC to consider conducting a fresh mock accreditation exercise to restore public trust.
“We believe in strong democratic institutions and do not want to see INEC fail. However, public confidence must be built on competence, transparency, and accountability. The people of Osun deserve an election where every eligible voter can cast their vote without avoidable technological failures,” the group said.
The coalition further urged the INEC Chairman to address the public directly before Election Day, share the findings of the mock exercise, outline corrective measures, and assure voters that all technical hurdles have been resolved.
The mock exercise was originally organized by INEC to test the functionality of the BVAS and evaluate overall electoral processes across the state’s 3,763 polling units ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
But, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the glitch was minor, assuring that the IT section of the commission has addressed the matter.
Speaking to journalists after the mock accreditation, Amupitan explained that the exercise was conducted to identify areas of challenges ahead of the election and to enable the commission to address them appropriately.
He maintained that the glitches will not in any way affect the credibility of the election because the commission has done everything necessary to correct the error.
