The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is a technological innovation introduced by Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enhance electoral integrity in the country’s elections. The BVAS is designed to improve the accuracy and transparency of the electoral process by accrediting voters through fingerprint and facial recognition, uploading images of result sheets online, and reducing election fraud.
Nigeria’s electoral history has been marred by allegations of fraud, rigging, and violence, eroding public trust in the electoral process. The introduction of the BVAS is a significant step towards addressing these challenges and ensuring the integrity of elections in Nigeria.
One of the key features of the BVAS is its ability to verify the identity of voters through fingerprint and facial recognition. This ensures that only eligible voters can participate in the electoral process, reducing the risk of fraud and impersonation. The system also uploads images of result sheets online, providing real-time information to stakeholders and enhancing transparency.
Electoral fraud is the highest form of political rascality! The world saw in November 2023, the massive results-writing by the APC government of Yahaya Bello which saw five local governments of Kogi Central having more votes than the nine local governments of the most populated section of the State, Kogi East. This anomaly was unequivocally demonstrated by the lawyers of the SDP through BVAS records, however, the election petitions’ tribunal in their own wisdom still delivered judgement in favour of the APC. This judgement was again ratified by the Appeal Court. The onus now is on the Supreme Court to do the needful and demonstrate whether or not citizen participation in future elections is worth while in Nigeria.
The INEC Chairman in 2023 described the BVAS as the game-changer in the Nigerian electoral system, but under our very eyes this technology that magnetised the populase to register and vote massively in the 2023 general elections is being rubbished by the judiciary under the terminology of technicalities. There is a publication recently describing the judiciary as the most corrupt institution in Nigeria, just as there has been various media reports of millions and billions exchanging hands in order to procure favourable judgement.
The relevant security agencies, the legislature and the executive must rise to address this challenge if democracy and democratic processes must survive in Nigeria. The political elites and the judiciary should not continue take the people for granted, because recent events in the country has demonstrated that the people are getting wiser and growing more impatient with the current state of governance.
In conclusion, the BVAS has the potential to enhance electoral integrity in Nigeria by improving the accuracy and transparency of the electoral process. However, its success depends on the judiciary and on the ability of INEC to address the challenges and controversies surrounding its deployment. By prioritizing transparency and public trust, INEC can ensure that the BVAS becomes a valuable tool in Nigeria’s quest for credible and reliable elections.
