FCT Elections: Faulty BVAS, Late Arrival Of Materials Mare Exercise

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections holding today Saturday has not been without hitches as the Biomodal Verification & Accreditation System (BVAS) could not authentic voters fingerprints in some areas.

The gadget which is an improvement on an earlier version used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in previous polls, could not process voter identification in places visited by INDEPENDENT.

In 034 polling unit opposite Christ The King Catholic Church, Kurudu, a suburb of the FCT, INEC adhoc staff said that “because of the situation many people have not been able to vote.”

Hon. Muazu Yakubu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Supervisor for Orozo Primary School with over 5000 registered voters, told INDEPENDENT that, “the BVAS rejects the card of many of our people. When they go for accreditation, they are told that their cards have already been used by another person.

How can I have my card and then you tell me that someone else has used it. Who used it?”

He also accused the electoral body of disenfranchising the party’s supporters, adding “we’ve been telling them for long to come and check this thing so that they can correct it on time. But we have not seen the INEC woman.”

According to Choke Enedu, All Progressives Congress (APC) Supervisor in Karu Federal Housing Authority (FHA), said that “the late arrival of election materials, and even as they started late could disenfranchise many voters.”

He disclosed that some voters arrived the polling unit 8am but could not vote due to the absence of INEC officials and necessary materials.

Some voters who spoke to INDEPENDENT expressed frustration at the situation, insisting that they will wait up to 3pm to cast their ballots.