INEC Double-Down On Public Trust, Says Flood Affected 4,000 BVAS Machines Ahead Of Edo Election

Despite low public trust, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, stated that the Edo State flood affected over 4000 Biomodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines.

Yakubu disclosed this while speaking to reporters on Monday at the two-day induction retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Lagos State, stating that over 4,000 machines were affected.

He, however, assured that 3,500 of the affected BVAS machines have been recovered, and if there is a need for more, the commission will request additional ones from neighbouring states.

“We deployed our technical staff and have already recovered over 3,500 of those machines. And since this is an off-cycle election, if we cannot recover the machines for Edo State, we will call for additional support from neighbouring states.”

Yakubu added that the commission had inducted 10 new Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) and a retreat for the old and new Resident Electoral Commissioners.

Regarding the induction retreat for RECs, he emphasised its significance beyond orientation while highlighting its role in reviewing performance.

He also spoke about the previous retreats held for various groups within the commission and mentioned upcoming elections in Ekiti, Anambra, and Osun States.

He further stressed INEC’s commitment to implementing administrative reforms promptly and advocating for necessary legal reforms through engagement with the National Assembly.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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