Anambra election: INEC cancelled use of incident form, smart card reader
Ahead of the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State, he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has ruled out the use of incident form and smart card reader.
In place of that, the electoral commission said it has come up with Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), a device which has the dual capacity for fingerprint and facial authentication of voters.
National Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at a stakeholder meeting in Awka, the star capital.
Professor Yakubu, assured that BVAS would help to guard against voting by identity theft where one person uses another person’s Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to vote using the incident form.
According to him, “On Saturday 6th November 2021, Anambra State will make history as the first governorship election in Nigeria in which the Commission will deploy the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device.
“This new device replaces the Smart Card Reader (SCR) used in previous elections since 2015. We are satisfied with the pilot deployment of the BVAS in the Isoko South I State Constituency Bye-election in Delta State on 11th September 2021.
He further disclosed that the Commission has put measures in place to detect counterfeits in the use of its electronic devices.
Yakubu also stated that National Youth Corps (NYSC) members that would be deployed as adhoc Staff by the Commission have been insured against death and disability, warning that electoral offenders and perpetrators of electoral violence during the exercise would be prosecuted.
“With this development, the use of the incident form is abolished. No voter without a genuine PVC will vote. No voter who has not been successfully accredited electronically using the BVAS will vote.
“At the same time, the BVAS is also equipped with a camera. Therefore, it has the capacity to snap Polling Unit level result and upload same to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal so that citizens can view results as election is concluded in each Polling Unit.
“Therefore, there is no need for the Z-Pad since its functions have been embedded in the BVAS. I am glad to report that all the BVAS required for the election on Saturday have been configured and delivered to Anambra State. Election duty staff have also been trained on the use of the device and we have sufficient technical staff to respond to any glitches that may occur”, the INEC boss stated.
