The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has announced that it will not be using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the upcoming local government elections scheduled for September 28.
This decision was revealed by Mr. Anthony Nnalue, ANSIEC’s Commissioner in charge of Information and Logistics, during a sensitization program held on Thursday in Awka. The program was organized by the International Peace and Civil Responsibility Centre (IPCRC) for accredited election observers and media personnel.
Nnalue explained that the commission had lost confidence in the BVAS system due to its poor performance in previous elections across Nigeria. He mentioned that BVAS had led to disruptions in the electoral process, resulting in doubts over the credibility of election outcomes.
As a result, ANSIEC has decided to revert to manual accreditation for voters, which they believe is more reliable.
“We will not use BVAS but manual. BVAS is not reliable; it has distorted the electoral process in Nigeria. We do not want a situation where election results are tampered,” Nnalue said, highlighting the concerns surrounding the system’s efficiency and accuracy.
To ensure smooth elections, Nnalue assured the public that election materials would arrive on time. He emphasized that there would be no delays in the distribution of materials across the state. According to him, non-sensitive materials were already on their way to the local government councils, and over 5,700 ad-hoc staff had been trained to oversee the elections at various polling units.
“We are fully prepared and ready for the Saturday election, in terms of security, materials, and other logistics,” Nnalue said confidently.
He also noted that elections would not be conducted in three local government areas—Nnewi South, Orumba South, and Idemili South—due to security concerns. Instead, voters in these areas would cast their ballots at their respective council headquarters. This measure, he explained, was taken to ensure the safety of both election officers and the voters.
In a bid to encourage voter participation, Nnalue urged residents to come out in large numbers on election day, assuring them that their votes would count.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chris Azor, the Coordinator of IPCRC, encouraged politicians and the electorate to remain vigilant and refrain from negative practices such as vote buying, violence, and discrimination. He also called on security agencies to maintain neutrality and respect human rights throughout the election process. Azor announced that his organization would establish a Situation Room in Awka to ensure real-time coordination and reporting during the election.
“As accredited observers, we are committed to ensuring a free, fair, credible, and peaceful local government election in Anambra state,” Azor concluded, promising transparency and accountability throughout the process.
