The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to make the 2023 General elections credible. Today we are answering the big question what is BVAS? And what are the benefits of Using BVAS?
There have been mixed feelings about the credibility of the newly introduced technology, with some thinking it’s a positive one and others thinking it will have less impact. It was designed to curb election malpractices and ensure there won’t be over-voting.
A lot of political parties were in support of using BVAS, while others, including the ruling party, doubted its use. In this article, we look at BVAS and everything you need to know about it.
What is BVAS?
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System is an electronic device introduced by INEC in 2021. It was designed to verify voter’s cards using biometric verification methods. The machine will verify human beings using either facial recognition or fingerprint.
It will also be used to capture the result on the polling unit sheet and upload it directly to the INEC Result Viewing Platform (IREV). The result will be uploaded at the polling unit immediately after voting is completed and collated at the polling unit. Anybody not verified by BVAS couldn’t vote, and the final result at any polling unit must reflect the total number of people accredited.
IREV is a portal created by INEC, and all the election results are available to the general public on the website. You can filter the result by state, local government, ward, and polling unit. You can also download the result as PDF files on your device.
How Does BVAS Work?
BVAS is essential because it verifies the genuineness of a voter’s card and authenticates a voter before they can vote. The device scans the barcode on a voter’s card or enters the last six digits of the Voter Identity Number (VIN). You can even enter the last name of a voter using the device.
It is held by the Assistant Presiding Officer (APO 1); they verify and authenticate voters.
BVAS is also used to register voters during voter registration. It has replaced the use of forms for voter registration and election accreditation.
What are the Benefits of BVAS?
BVAS has its benefits and shortcomings, and we will talk about them, starting with the significant Benefits:
- The BVAS device will allow instant live transmission of results from polling units nationwide. This will curb the problem of interfering with results while they are being transported across the country for collation.
- It will be used to accredit voters faster; the process took hours in the past, but with BVAS, it takes less time.
- Any polling units with violence, ballot box snatching, or violence won’t reflect on the IREV Portal because it wasn’t uploaded.
- The level of transparency and credibility of the election will be increased with BVAS because voters can see the result of their Polling units accurately on the IREV portal.
The Problems of BVAS
It’s a famous saying that nothing is perfect under the sun. If we know what BVAS is, we must know its wrong side. Here are the problems with the device:
- Like any other device, it can be affected by glitches or technical problems that will slow down the electoral process.
- There are also concerns about cyber-attack while the election is going on.
- The internet connection can also be a problem because some remote areas don’t have a good internet connection.
- Electoral officials are also likely to conspire with politicians to manipulate and upload results using BVAS.
- The significant problem is that capturing people of a certain age is impractical with the device.
There has been assurance by the INEC chief, but problems have occurred nationwide during the elections.
Conclusion
The BVAS device is here to stay and will only improve with time. There were some issues during the just concluded elections, but INEC will improve upon them. If you have questions regarding BVAS, ask in the comment section below.
