INEC schedules mock accreditation in 12 Edo polling units

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced that it will conduct a mock accreditation of voters on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, in preparation for the upcoming Edo State Governorship Election.

This exercise is designed to test the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and the subsequent upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing, IReV, portal.

In a statement by National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee,Sam Olumekun, said the mock accreditation will take place in 12 designated polling units across six Local Government Areas (LGAs), covering the three Senatorial Districts of the State. The exercise will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

According to the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, this exercise is crucial in ensuring the effectiveness and smooth functioning of the BVAS technology during the actual election on September 21, 2024.

In Edo Central, the selected centers include Eguare Primary School, Eguare 1, and Uwenujie Primary School, Uwenujie, in Esan Central LGA, as well as Eguare Primary School 1, Ewohimi, and Eguare Okhuesan (Former L.A. School 1), Emu, in Esan South East LGA.

For Edo North, Usokwi Iyogbe Azama Primary School, Yeluwa, and the polling unit at Institute of Continuing Education Road, Auchi, in Etsako West LGA, have been designated as centers. In Owan West LGA, the centers include Uhonmwora Owere Primary School, Uhonmwora-Ora, and Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongidda-Ora.

In Edo South, the exercise will be held at Western Boys’ High School 1 and Ologbosere Primary School 1 in Ikpoba Okha LGA. Additionally, Idia College I and Payne Primary School 1 will serve as centers in Oredo LGA.

INEC called on registered voters in these designated polling units to participate in the mock exercise by coming out with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). It emphasized that only registered voters for these specific polling units will be allowed to participate in the accreditation, as the BVAS will not process voters from other polling units.

The commission has also uploaded a graphic image containing the names and locations of the centers on its website and social media platforms for public reference.