By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo
The Coalition of Concerned Nigeria Citizens (CCNC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged widespread malfunction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during Saturday's mock accreditation exercise ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Raufu Sodiq, popularly known as "Oluomo Success," the group alleged that although the mock accreditation was scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m., the exercise started behind schedule in some locations. It further claimed that within 40 minutes of commencement, several BVAS devices allegedly stopped recognising fingerprints, facial features and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), disrupting the accreditation process in the affected polling units.
CCNC described the alleged development as disturbing, noting that a mock accreditation exercise is expected to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process rather than create uncertainty over the reliability of election technology.
According to the group, voter accreditation is the bedrock of a credible election because it determines voter eligibility and safeguards the integrity of the electoral process. It warned that any failure at that critical stage, if left unresolved, could erode public trust in the outcome of the governorship election.
The coalition questioned why such challenges allegedly occurred despite years of investment in electoral technology and preparations by the electoral commission. It therefore urged the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner and the national leadership of INEC to provide a comprehensive explanation of the reported glitches and the steps being taken to ensure they do not recur on Election Day.
Among its demands, the group asked INEC to disclose whether the alleged malfunction resulted from software, hardware or configuration issues, explain its contingency plans for all 3,763 polling units across Osun State, replace any defective BVAS machines and consider conducting another mock accreditation exercise before the August 15 governorship election to restore public confidence.
"We believe in strong democratic institutions and do not want to see INEC fail. However, public confidence must be built on competence, transparency and accountability. The people of Osun deserve an election where every eligible voter can cast their vote without avoidable technological failures," the statement read.
The coalition further urged the Chairman of INEC to personally address Nigerians before the governorship election, explaining the outcome of the mock accreditation exercise, outlining corrective measures and assuring voters that all identified technical challenges would be resolved before Election Day.
INEC organised the mock accreditation exercise to assess the functionality of the BVAS and other electoral processes ahead of the August 15 governorship election, which will be conducted across the state's 3,763 polling units.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued an official response to the allegations raised by the coalition.
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