BVAS Now Blocks Over-Voting, Manipulation, Says INEC

BVAS Now Blocks Over-Voting, Manipulation, Says INEC

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, has declared that new safeguards introduced into the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) now automatically prevent over-voting and result manipulation.

Amupitan spoke on Wednesday at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and the swearing-in of Dr. Chukwu Chukwu-Emeka Joseph as REC representing Abia State.

Reviewing the just-concluded Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and bye-elections in Kano and Rivers states, the INEC chairman said the polls were generally peaceful, with strong transparency measures.

“As of 2:00 pm on Sunday, over 93% of polling unit results had been uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal, underscoring our commitment to transparency once again,” he said.

He acknowledged modest improvement in voter turnout in the FCT, noting that participation increased from 9.4 percent in 2022 to about 15 percent in the latest election.

On public concerns about voter migration, Amupitan clarified that no voter was moved in 2026. He explained that the redistribution of voters occurred in 2022 under the Commission’s polling unit expansion initiative.

“That exercise was carried out four years ago in 2022, not in 2026,” he stated, adding that the same voters participated in the 2023 general election in their assigned polling units.

The INEC boss directed RECs to intensify voter education, stressing that awareness must be continuous and not limited to election periods.

Addressing logistical lapses, he expressed displeasure that only 45 percent of polling units opened by 8:30 a.m. in the FCT.

“It fell short of our standards. It undermines public confidence. And it will not be tolerated,” he warned, revealing that affected staff had been queried and a defaulting transporter would be blacklisted.

On result management, Amupitan said the Commission had strengthened BVAS to safeguard the collation process, which he described as the most vulnerable stage of elections.

“We have introduced some safeguards to the BVAS system which is to curb all manner of manipulation on the results that will be transmitted to IREV,” he said.

He explained that presiding officers are now required to upload images of completed Form EC8A and enter party scores directly into the BVAS device, which performs internal validation checks.

“The total votes entered do not exceed the number of accredited voters. The figures entered are mathematically consistent. Over-voting is automatically flagged and cannot be finalised,” he stated.

According to him, the upgraded BVAS was tested during the FCT Area Council election as well as the Kano and Rivers state constituency polls, with an average of 97 percent of results uploaded to IReV in the FCT.

While admitting that no election is perfect, he cautioned that Nigerians expect higher standards from the Commission.

“There is no room for error or excuse in this crucial process,” he said.

Amupitan also informed the RECs that with the enactment of the new Electoral Act 2026, the Commission would adjust and issue a revised timetable for the 2027 general election.

He urged the commissioners to return to their states with renewed vigilance, declaring: “Excellence is not optional; it is mandatory.”

The meeting also featured the swearing-in of Dr. Chukwu Chukwu-Emeka Joseph as REC for Abia State, with the chairman urging him to foster trust and uphold integrity in the discharge of his duties.