Mock accreditation: INEC reiterates commitment to conduct credible elections

Dr Adeniran Tella, Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Oyo State, says the success of Saturday’s mock accreditation in the state is an affirmation that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, has come to stay.

Tella made the assertions while monitoring the conduct of the exercise in 12 polling units across the state’s three senatorial districts.

He led other management staff of the commission alongside the State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Mr Kayode Odedokun; representatives of security agencies and para-military agencies to monitor the exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the mock accreditation witnessed a huge turnout in some polling units, while a few others recorded low turnout.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the exercise, Tella said he was impressed with the turnout of the electorate, “in spite of the fact that this is not a real election, people were fully aware.

“They have known what they wanted and how to go about it.”

According to him, the BVAS machines performed excellently well “as the commission expected”.

He said that the success of the mock accreditation was an affirmation that BVAS has come to stay.

“It is the game changer and we are making use of it in this coming general elections for authentication, verification, uploading and accreditation,” Tella said.

The REC, however, called for inclusive participation of all citizens in the ongoing political system and electoral process, urging everyone to be involved.

He said that the electoral process should not be left in the hands of election administrators alone.

“But, we must continue to engage ourselves by seeking solutions to identified problems confronting election processes in the country,” the REC said.

Tella explained that the enactment of a set of laws embedded in the new Electoral Act, 2022, was to strengthen the electoral process in the real sense.

“However, it shouldn’t be regarded as an end to the means because of human problem, which is dynamic and always come in diverse ways.

“So, we have to come together to put the perfect solution to this, such that the cycle would not continue.

“And the fact that we are making use of new technology that guaranty transparency and credible elections, with the enthusiasm of Nigerians, the goodwill of the stakeholders and the commitment of the commission, we are going to deliver credible elections to Nigerians,” Tella said.