The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly defended the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), dismissing claims that the technological innovations are scams. This clarification came during an insightful session held on Saturday in Abuja, where INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Lawrence Bayode, took the opportunity to educate the public about the role these systems play in enhancing the credibility and transparency of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Dr. Bayode’s presentation, titled “BVAS and IREV: Facts and Myths,” was aimed at addressing common misconceptions surrounding these two important electoral tools, which were introduced to improve the election process and prevent electoral fraud. The director emphasized that BVAS and IREV were crucial to the modernization of Nigeria’s election system, designed to promote transparency, reduce electoral malpractice, and ultimately enhance voter confidence in the system.
In his address, Dr. Bayode acknowledged the growing mistrust among some Nigerians about the functionality of BVAS and IREV, noting that several myths and misconceptions have emerged since their implementation. He emphasized that these technologies were not designed to deceive voters but rather to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process.
“There is a belief that BVAS and IREV are scams,” he began. “This misconception arises from misunderstandings, technical issues, and general distrust in the electoral process. However, this belief is incorrect.”
Dr. Bayode explained that BVAS, which uses both fingerprint and facial recognition technology, is primarily designed for voter accreditation. The system ensures that only registered and accredited voters are allowed to cast ballots during elections, significantly reducing the occurrence of voter impersonation, a major form of electoral malpractice in the past.
“BVAS verifies voters using fingerprint and facial recognition, ensuring that only accredited voters cast their ballots,” he stated, adding that the system was a breakthrough in ensuring the authenticity of voters during the election.
Similarly, Dr. Bayode clarified the function of the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), an online platform where scanned results from polling units are uploaded for public viewing. He stressed that IREV does not directly count votes or collate results but serves as a tool for enhancing transparency by allowing the public to view results as they are uploaded from various polling units.
“IREV is an online portal that allows the public to view scanned polling unit results for transparency. It does not count votes or collate results,” he explained.
The INEC official also took time to address concerns regarding technical failures that have sometimes been attributed to fraud, such as slow uploads, server downtimes, or network issues. Dr. Bayode clarified that these challenges were not indicative of any intentional efforts to manipulate the system but were instead technical setbacks that are common in any system relying on complex digital processes.
“These challenges do not mean the system was designed to deceive voters,” he explained. “Rather, they highlight areas that need improvement in election management.”
Bayode reiterated that despite occasional technical issues, the role of BVAS in reducing electoral fraud, such as voter impersonation and multiple voting, had been significant. He dismissed the myth that BVAS was responsible for transmitting election results, stressing that its main purpose was to authenticate voters. Election results are instead recorded on Form EC8A, which is later uploaded to the IREV platform for public viewing.
“BVAS does not directly transmit election results. Instead, results are recorded on Form EC8A, which is then uploaded to IREV,” Bayode clarified. He further pointed out that the introduction of BVAS had successfully curtailed incidents of voter impersonation and over-voting, two common forms of election fraud.
Another misconception that was addressed during the conversation was the belief that if BVAS failed, elections could not continue. Dr. Bayode dispelled this myth by explaining that INEC has put backup devices in place to ensure the electoral process can continue smoothly even if there are technical issues with the BVAS machines.
He assured the public that in rare cases where the system fails, INEC can reschedule elections in affected polling units, thus ensuring that no voter is disenfranchised.
“The system is designed to be robust, and INEC provides backup devices to deal with issues should they arise,” he said, highlighting that the overall goal was to ensure that the elections proceed fairly and efficiently.
Dr. Bayode also emphasized how the IREV platform has played a crucial role in enhancing transparency during elections. Before the introduction of IREV, election results were often not easily accessible to the public, leading to concerns about the accuracy and authenticity of the reported outcomes. With IREV, Nigerians can now verify the results of elections in real time, which has contributed significantly to building public trust in the electoral process.
“Before IREV, election results were not easily accessible to the public. Now, discrepancies can be identified, which proves the system enhances transparency rather than being a scam,” Bayode stated, adding that citizens now had a direct way to monitor the results as they were uploaded from each polling unit.
The conversation on X also featured remarks from Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, who highlighted the commission’s ongoing efforts to improve the electoral process. She noted that INEC was working closely with the National Assembly and various stakeholders to amend the Electoral Act, particularly in the area of election results management. These amendments are aimed at strengthening the legal framework around elections to make the process more credible and efficient.
Eta-Messi also reiterated INEC’s commitment to voter education, which she emphasized as essential for fostering trust and reducing voter apathy. She explained that increasing public awareness about the electoral process was vital to encouraging more Nigerians to participate in elections and to ensure that the elections remain fair and credible.
“We are committed to voter education to build public trust, reduce voter apathy, and promote credible elections,” she concluded.
